Twenty-six-year change in total cholesterol levels and incident dementia: The Honolulu-Asia aging study

Robert Stewart, Lon R. White, Qian Li Xue, Lenore J. Launer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

126 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The relationship between total cholesterol levels and dementia is unclear. Objective: To compare the natural history of change in total cholesterol across 26 years between men who did and did not develop dementia 3 years after the last measurement. Design, Setting, and Participants: In the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, 1027 Japanese American men had total cholesterol levels assayed on 5 occasions between 1965 and 1993 and were screened for dementia on 2 occasions between 1991 and 1996. Main Outcome Measure: The slope of 26-year change in serum total cholesterol levels was estimated by a repeated-measures analysis and was compared between men with incident dementia (n=56) and those without dementia (n=971) at the end of the follow-up period. Results: Cholesterol levels in men with dementia and, in particular, those with Alzheimer disease had declined at least 15 years before the diagnosis and remained lower than cholesterol levels in men without dementia throughout that period. The difference in slopes was robust to adjustment for potential confounding factors, including vascular risk factors, weight change, alcohol intake, and use of lipid-lowering agents. Conclusion: A decline in serum total cholesterol levels may be associated with early stages in the development of dementia.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)103-107
Number of pages5
JournalArchives of neurology
Volume64
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2007
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Neurology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Twenty-six-year change in total cholesterol levels and incident dementia: The Honolulu-Asia aging study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this