TY - JOUR

T1 - Triglycerides as a Shared Risk Factor between Dementia and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

T2 - A Study of 125 727 Individuals

AU - Nordestgaard, Liv T.

AU - Christoffersen, Mette

AU - Afzal, Shoaib

AU - Nordestgaard, Børge G.

AU - Tybjærg-Hansen, Anne

AU - Frikke-Schmidt, Ruth

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - BACKGROUND: Risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease such as smoking, hypertension, physical inactivity, and diabetes have also been associated with risk of dementia. Whether hypertriglyceridemia represents a shared risk factor as well remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that hypertriglyceridemia is associated with increased risk of non-Alzheimer dementia, Alzheimer disease, and ischemic stroke. METHODS: Using the Copenhagen General Population Study and the Copenhagen City Heart Study, we examined the association between increased plasma triglycerides and risk of non-Alzheimer dementia, Alzheimer disease, and ischemic stroke with Cox regression. RESULTS: On a continuous scale, higher concentrations of plasma triglycerides were associated with increased risk of non-Alzheimer dementia and ischemic stroke, but not with Alzheimer disease. In age, sex, and cohort adjusted models, the highest percentile of triglycerides (median 629 mg/dL; 7.1 mmol/L) versus the 1-50th percentiles (median 89 mg/dL; 1.0 mmol/L) was associated with hazard ratios of 1.75 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-2.63) for non-Alzheimer dementia, 1.18 (0.73-1.91) for Alzheimer disease, and of 1.89 (1.50-2.38) for ischemic stroke. Corresponding hazard ratios were 1.62 (1.08-2.44), 1.25 (0.77-2.02), and 1.57 (1.24-1.98) in models adjusted multifactorially, and 1.79 (1.16-2.87), 1.18 (0.73-1.92), and 1.46 (1.10-1.95) in models adjusted multifactorially and additionally for apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, respectively. Results were similar after excluding individuals who had an event within 2 years after study entry. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate hypertriglyceridemia was associated with increased risk of both non-Alzheimer dementia and ischemic stroke, highlighting plasma triglycerides as a shared risk factor between dementia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

AB - BACKGROUND: Risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease such as smoking, hypertension, physical inactivity, and diabetes have also been associated with risk of dementia. Whether hypertriglyceridemia represents a shared risk factor as well remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that hypertriglyceridemia is associated with increased risk of non-Alzheimer dementia, Alzheimer disease, and ischemic stroke. METHODS: Using the Copenhagen General Population Study and the Copenhagen City Heart Study, we examined the association between increased plasma triglycerides and risk of non-Alzheimer dementia, Alzheimer disease, and ischemic stroke with Cox regression. RESULTS: On a continuous scale, higher concentrations of plasma triglycerides were associated with increased risk of non-Alzheimer dementia and ischemic stroke, but not with Alzheimer disease. In age, sex, and cohort adjusted models, the highest percentile of triglycerides (median 629 mg/dL; 7.1 mmol/L) versus the 1-50th percentiles (median 89 mg/dL; 1.0 mmol/L) was associated with hazard ratios of 1.75 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-2.63) for non-Alzheimer dementia, 1.18 (0.73-1.91) for Alzheimer disease, and of 1.89 (1.50-2.38) for ischemic stroke. Corresponding hazard ratios were 1.62 (1.08-2.44), 1.25 (0.77-2.02), and 1.57 (1.24-1.98) in models adjusted multifactorially, and 1.79 (1.16-2.87), 1.18 (0.73-1.92), and 1.46 (1.10-1.95) in models adjusted multifactorially and additionally for apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, respectively. Results were similar after excluding individuals who had an event within 2 years after study entry. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate hypertriglyceridemia was associated with increased risk of both non-Alzheimer dementia and ischemic stroke, highlighting plasma triglycerides as a shared risk factor between dementia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

KW - Alzheimer disease

KW - cardiovascular risk factors

KW - general population study

KW - ischemic stroke

KW - Keys words: lipids

KW - non-Alzheimer dementia

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099721185&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/clinchem/hvaa269

DO - 10.1093/clinchem/hvaa269

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 33418579

AN - SCOPUS:85099721185

VL - 67

SP - 245

EP - 255

JO - Clinical Chemistry

JF - Clinical Chemistry

SN - 0009-9147

IS - 1

ER -