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Diabetes Mellitus Is a Risk Factor for Vascular Dementia, but Not for Alzheimer's Disease: A Population-Based Study of the Oldest Old

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2005

Linda B. Hassing ,
Boo Johansson ,
Sven E. Nilsson ,
Stig Berg ,
Nancy L. Pedersen ,
Margaret Gatz  and
Gerald McClearn
Linda B. Hassing
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden Institute of Gerontology, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden
Boo Johansson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden Institute of Gerontology, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden
Sven E. Nilsson
Affiliation:
Institute of Gerontology, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden
Stig Berg
Affiliation:
Institute of Gerontology, School of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden
Nancy L. Pedersen
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Epidemiology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
Margaret Gatz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, US
Gerald McClearn
Affiliation:
Center for Developmental and Health Genetics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, US.
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Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine if Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a risk factor for dementia in very old age, specifically for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). Methods: We evaluated the risk of dementia in relation to Type 2 diabetes using a population-based sample of 702 individuals aged 80 years and older (mean age 83 years). A total of 187 persons received a dementia diagnosis. Thirty-one individuals had a diabetes diagnosis prior to onset of the dementia. Results: Cox proportional hazard analyses, adjusted for age, gender, education, smoking habits, and circulatory diseases, indicated an elevated risk to develop VaD (relative risk = 2.54, 95% confidence interval 1.35–4.78) in individuals with diabetes mellitus. No association was found between diabetes and AD. Conclusion: Type 2 diabetes is selectively related to the different subtypes of dementia. There is no increased risk of AD but more than a twofold risk of VaD in persons with diabetes.

Keywords

Type 2 diabetes mellitusAlzheimer's diseasevascular dementiapopulation-based studyvery old
Type
Articles
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , September 2002 , pp. 239 - 248
Copyright
© 2002 International Psychogeriatric Association

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