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February 08, 2022; 98 (6) Research Article

Sex Differences in the Association Between Midlife Cardiovascular Conditions or Risk Factors With Midlife Cognitive Decline

View ORCID ProfileNan Huo, Prashanthi Vemuri, Jonathan Graff-Radford, Jeremy Syrjanen, Mary Machulda, David S. Knopman, View ORCID ProfileClifford R. Jack, Ronald Petersen, Michelle M. Mielke
First published January 5, 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000013174
Nan Huo
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Prashanthi Vemuri
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Jonathan Graff-Radford
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Jeremy Syrjanen
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Mary Machulda
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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David S. Knopman
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Clifford R. Jack Jr
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Ronald Petersen
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Michelle M. Mielke
From the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.
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Sex Differences in the Association Between Midlife Cardiovascular Conditions or Risk Factors With Midlife Cognitive Decline
Nan Huo, Prashanthi Vemuri, Jonathan Graff-Radford, Jeremy Syrjanen, Mary Machulda, David S. Knopman, Clifford R. Jack, Ronald Petersen, Michelle M. Mielke
Neurology Feb 2022, 98 (6) e623-e632; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000013174

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Abstract

Background and Objectives The prevalence of midlife cardiovascular conditions and risk factors is higher in men than women. Associations between midlife cardiovascular conditions or risk factors and midlife cognitive decline have been reported, but few studies have assessed sex differences in these associations.

Methods We included 1,857 participants enrolled in the population-based Mayo Clinic Study of Aging who were 50 to 69 years of age at baseline. Participants were evaluated every 15 months by a coordinator, including neurologic evaluation and neuropsychological testing. The neuropsychological testing used 9 tests to calculate global cognitive and domain-specific (memory, language, executive function, and visuospatial skills) z scores. Nurse abstractors reviewed participant medical records to determine the presence of cardiovascular conditions (coronary heart disease, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure) and risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, ever smoking). Linear mixed-effect models evaluated the association between baseline cardiovascular conditions or risk factors and global and domain-specific cognitive decline. Multivariable models adjusted for demographics, APOE genotype, depression, and other medical conditions. Interactions between sex and each cardiovascular condition or risk factor were examined, and results were stratified by sex.

Results Overall, 1,465 (78.9%) participants had at least 1 cardiovascular condition or risk factor; the proportion of men was higher than women (767 [83.4%] vs 698 [74.5%], p < 0.0001). Cross-sectionally, coronary heart disease and ever smoking were associated with a lower visuospatial z score in multivariable models. Longitudinally, several cardiovascular conditions and risk factors were associated with declines in global and domain-specific z scores but not visuospatial z scores. Most cardiovascular conditions were more strongly associated with cognition among women: coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions were associated with global cognitive decline only in women (all p < 0.05). In addition, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and coronary heart disease were associated with language z score decline only in women (all p < 0.05). However, congestive heart failure was associated with language z score decline only in men (all p < 0.05).

Discussion Midlife cardiovascular conditions and risk factors are associated with midlife cognitive decline. Moreover, specific cardiovascular conditions and risk factors have stronger associations with cognitive decline in midlife for women than men despite the higher prevalence of those conditions in men.

Glossary

BMI=
body mass index;
CHD=
coronary heart disease;
CHF=
congestive heart failure;
CI=
confidence interval;
CVD=
cardiovascular disease;
MCI=
mild cognitive impairment;
MCSA=
Mayo Clinic Study on Aging;
REP=
Rochester Epidemiology Project

Footnotes

  • Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.

  • CME Course: NPub.org/cmelist

  • Received June 10, 2021.
  • Accepted in final form November 16, 2021.
  • © 2022 American Academy of Neurology
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