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AlzRisk Paper Detail
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Reference: Forti, 2010
Cohort: Conselice Study of Brain Aging
Risk Factor: Blood Pressure


Average Follow-up Time Detail
Participants were recruited between 1999 and 2000 and underwent a follow-up examination between 2003 and 2004.

The study authors reported stratified results based on age at baseline. This entry reflects participants who were 65-74 years old at baseline.

Exposure Detail
Hypertension was defined as a blood pressure of at least 130/85 mm Hg, based on the average of two seated measurements, or current antihypertensive medication use at baseline.

Ethnicity Detail
According to other descriptions of the cohort, participants were all residents of a municipality in northern Italy. No other information on ethnicity or race has been reported.

Age Detail
The authors stratified results by age at baseline. This entry summarizes the results for those between the ages of 65 and 74.

Screening and Diagnosis Detail
Screening Method:
MMSEMini-Mental State Examination (Folstein 1975)

AD Diagnosis:
NINCDS ADRDA National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association Criteria (McKhann 1984)

Total Dementia Definition: DSM IV.

"The screening phase included a standardized personal interview for collection of data on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, medical history, functional status, evaluation of depressive symptoms, and measurement of global cognitive function with the Italian version of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE)12; a standardized medical and neurological examination; and collection of fasting venous blood samples. For subjects unable to answer because of physical or mental impairments, information was obtained from relatives and general practitioners. Previous medical records were available for approximately 90% of participants and prevailed in any case of discrepancy with health data from the participants themselves. Participants with MMSE score less than 24 and greater than 9 underwent further standardized neuropsychological assessment validated for use in Italian subjects.13 Whenever recent neuroradiological data were not available, the subject was scheduled for a noncontrast computed tomography brain scan. Standardized information about functional and mental status of subjects positive at cognitive screening was also obtained from a collateral informant (a relative or any other person with a reliable knowledge of the individual, including the subject's medical practitioner). International standard criteria were used for diagnosis of dementia,14 AD,15 and VaD.16 Subjects affected by major sensory-motor deficits or any psychiatric condition other than dementia deemed to hamper a reliable cognitive assessment and for whom it could not be ascertained whether there had been a decline from a previously higher functioning level were considered to be cognitively unclassifiable."

Covariates & Analysis Detail
Analysis Type:
Cox proportional hazards regression

"Date of dementia onset was estimated as the midpoint of the interval from baseline until follow-up or death. Individuals with dementia not caused by the subtype of interest were censored at the time of dementia onset.

Literature data suggest an effect of age on the association of interest,5 and a significant interaction was found between age and MetS [metabolic syndrome] (P<.001). Therefore, analyses were performed separately for subjects younger than 75 and those aged 75 and older, roughly corresponding to the top tertile of age distribution."

AD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
AOabdominal obeisity
APOE4APOE e4 genotype
CVDcardiovascular disease
HDLHDL cholesterol
HGhyperglycemia
HHChyperhomocysteinemia
HTGhypertriglyceridemia
ISinflammation status
SLsedentary lifestyle
SHstroke history

TD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
AOabdominal obeisity
APOE4APOE e4 genotype
CVDcardiovascular disease
HDLHDL cholesterol
HGhyperglycemia
HHChyperhomocysteinemia
HTGhypertriglyceridemia
ISinflammation status
SLsedentary lifestyle
SHstroke history