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Updated: Apr 26, 2026

Bronchial Thermoplasty: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Severe Asthma
Published on: November 4, 2010
Risk of dementia among patients with asthma: a nationwide longitudinal study
Mu-Hong Chen1, Cheng-Ta Li1, Chia-Fen Tsai1
1Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Background:
Previous studies have suggested an association between asthma and dementia, but the results are still inconsistent.
Methods:
Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database, we enrolled 11,030 participants aged more than 45 years with asthma and 44,120 (1:4) age-/sex-matched controls between 1998 and 2008, and followed them to the end of 2011. Cases of any dementia or Alzheimer's disease that developed during the follow-up period were identified.
Results:
Asthma was associated with an increased risk of developing any dementia [hazard ratio (HR): 2.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.87-2.52] and Alzheimer's disease (HR: 2.62, 95% CI: 1.71-4.02). Stratified by age, both asthma in midlife (>45 years and <65 years) and in late life (≥65 years) was associated with a greater likelihood of any dementia (HR: 2.48, 95% CI: 1.80-3.41; HR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.74-2.44).
Discussion:
Asthma in midlife and in late life increased the risk of developing any dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The underlying mechanisms between asthma and dementia require further investigation.
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