title: Past Cigarette Smoking Is More Common among Those with Cholinergic Than Noncholinergic Dementias.
abstract: Background. Patients with progressive dementing disorders associated with cortical cholinergic dysfunction gradually develop cholinergic deficits many years before symptom onset and may begin to smoke cigarettes during midlife as a form of self-medication. The aim of this study was to compare self-reported past smoking rates between those with and without cholinergic dementias, to determine if those who developed cholinergic dementias were more likely to smoke during midlife than those who did not. Methods. Retrospective cross-sectional study of past smoking status among patients treated at an outpatient clinic during a three-year period. Results. A total of 440 patients were evaluated during the study period, including 224 with cholinergic dementias and 216 with noncholinergic dementias and controls. Past smoking rates were greater among those with cholinergic dementias compared to those without cholinergic dementias (43.92% versus 26.96%, P = 0.012). Additionally, smokers with cholinergic dementias reported significantly greater mean pack-years of smoking (P = 0.038). Conclusions. Greater midlife smoking rates and greater pack-years of smoking were associated with cholinergic dementias. These results suggest midlife smoking may be an early indicator for those developing brain cholinergic deficits related to progressive dementing disorders and support initiating treatment prior to symptom onset in cholinergic dementias.
authors.affiliation: Pitzer College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
authors.forename: Kyle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dalrymple
authors.affiliation: Neurology Division, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, CA 90502, USA.
authors.forename: Erin K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Neurology Division, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, CA 90502, USA ; Neurology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6975, USA ; Neurology Department, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Building N-25, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9424-381X
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Building N-25, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morrow
authors.affiliation: Neurology Department, Straub Hospital and Clinics, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA ; Neurology Division, Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA.
authors.forename: Beau
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6506-9672
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nakamoto
authors.affiliation: Neurology Division, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, CA 90502, USA ; Neurology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6975, USA ; Neurology Department, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Building N-25, 1000 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90509, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: McMurtray