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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
Using Retinal Imaging to Study Dementia
Published on: November 6, 2017
Patients with the Subcortical Small Vessel Type of Dementia Have Disturbed Cardiometabolic Risk Profile
Elin Axelsson1, Anders Wallin2, Johan Svensson1
1Department of Internal Medicine, Institute of Medicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Insights
Subcortical small vessel dementia (SSVD) patients have distinct cardiometabolic risk factors, including higher rates of hypertension and diabetes, and lower cholesterol levels compared to controls. These findings highlight unique risk profiles in dementia subtypes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Cardiometabolic status is linked to white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on MRI.
- WMHs are a key feature of subcortical small vessel dementia (SSVD).
- Limited data exists on cardiometabolic risk factors specifically in SSVD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare cardiometabolic risk factor profiles across SSVD, Alzheimer's disease (AD), mixed dementia, and healthy controls.
- To identify specific risk factors associated with SSVD.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 40 SSVD patients, 113 AD patients, 62 mixed dementia patients, and 94 healthy controls.
- Statistical analyses included ANCOVA and binary logistic regression, adjusting for covariates.
Main Results:
- Hypertension was more prevalent in SSVD and mixed dementia groups compared to controls.
- Diabetes was more common in SSVD patients; lower BMI was observed in AD and mixed dementia groups.
- SSVD patients had reduced serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C).
Conclusions:
- All dementia groups exhibited altered cardiometabolic risk profiles compared to controls.
- SSVD is characterized by increased hypertension and diabetes prevalence, with reduced serum TC and LDL-C.
- Cognitive performance in SSVD correlated with blood pressure measures.
Background:
Population-based studies have shown that cardiometabolic status is associated with the amount of white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, little is known of cardiometabolic risk factors in the subcortical small vessel type of dementia (SSVD), in which WMHs are one of the most prominent manifestations.
Objective:
To determine whether the profile of cardiometabolic risk factors differed between SSVD, Alzheimer's disease (AD), mixed dementia (combined AD and SSVD), and healthy controls.
Methods:
This was a mono-center, cross-sectional study of SSVD (n = 40), AD (n = 113), mixed dementia (n = 62), and healthy controls (n = 94). In the statistical analyses, we adjusted for covariates using ANCOVA and binary logistic regression.
Results:
The prevalence of hypertension was increased in SSVD and mixed dementia (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 versus controls, respectively). Diabetes was more prevalent in SSVD patients, and body mass index was lower in AD and mixed dementia, compared to the controls (all p < 0.05). Serum total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were reduced in the SSVD group (both p < 0.05 versus control). These differences remained after adjustment for covariates. In the SSVD group, Trail Making Test A score correlated positively with systolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure.
Conclusion:
All dementia groups had an altered cardiometabolic risk profile compared to the controls. The SSVD patients showed increased prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, and in line with previous population-based data, TC and LDL-C in serum were reduced.
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