Cognitive Function and Changes in Cognitive Function as Predictors of Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Women's...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neurology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Cognitive impairment is a potential early indicator of increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• The relationship between cognitive function and cardiovascular outcomes requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between global cognitive function, measured by the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS), and its changes over time with incident CVD, specific CVD outcomes, CVD mortality, and all-cause mortality.
• To assess these associations in older women without prevalent CVD at baseline.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 5,596 women (age ≥ 60) from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study.
• Assessed global cognitive function using the 3MS at baseline and annually.
• Employed Cox proportional hazards regressions to model the risk of CVD events and mortality based on baseline 3MS scores and annual changes in 3MS.

Main Results:

• A 5-point lower baseline 3MS score was associated with a 12% increased risk of incident CVD, 35% for CVD death, and 24% for all-cause mortality.
• Cognitive decline, indicated by a 1-point/year greater decline in 3MS, was linked to a 4% higher risk of incident CVD, 17% for CVD death, and 13% for all-cause mortality.
• No significant associations were found for coronary heart disease (CHD), angina, stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), or coronary revascularization based on baseline 3MS scores.

Conclusions:

• In older women without pre-existing CVD, diminished baseline global cognitive function is associated with an elevated risk of developing CVD, dying from CVD, and all-cause mortality.
• Progressive decline in cognitive function over time further increases the risk of incident CVD, CVD death, and all-cause mortality.
• These findings underscore the link between cognitive health and cardiovascular risk in aging women.