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Published on: January 11, 2020
Heart Failure and Cognitive Impairment in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study
Lucy S Witt1, Jason Rotter2, Sally C Stearns3
1Department of Hospital Medicine, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA. lucyswitt@gmail.com.
Heart failure (HF) is linked to cognitive impairment and faster decline. This study found HF patients had higher rates of dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
Area of Science:
- Neurology and Cardiology
- Cognitive Science
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Heart failure (HF) is increasingly recognized as a potential risk factor for cognitive decline.
- Understanding the relationship between HF, cognitive status, and cognitive decline in community samples is crucial for clinical risk assessment.
- Existing research suggests a link, but further investigation in diverse populations is warranted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if individuals with prevalent heart failure exhibit a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment.
- To investigate whether individuals who develop heart failure experience a more accelerated rate of cognitive decline over time.
- To analyze the association between heart failure and cognitive status in a community-based cohort.
Main Methods:
- An observational cohort study utilizing data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.
- Cross-sectional analysis employed multinomial logistic regression to assess prevalent HF and cognitive status.
- Longitudinal analysis examined the association between incident HF and cognitive change over a 15-year period, controlling for socio-demographic and vascular factors.
Main Results:
- Participants with heart failure showed a significantly higher prevalence of dementia (RRR=1.60) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (RRR=1.36) compared to those without HF.
- Individuals who developed incident heart failure experienced a greater decline in cognitive function over 15 years (-0.07 SD units) than those who did not develop HF.
- These associations remained significant after adjusting for potential confounders and did not vary based on ejection fraction.
Conclusions:
- Heart failure is independently associated with neurocognitive dysfunction and decline.
- The findings highlight a significant link between HF and impaired cognitive status, independent of other comorbidities.
- Further research is necessary to elucidate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms connecting heart failure and cognitive impairment.
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