Renal function and risk of dementia: a Mendelian randomization study
Haowen Huang1,2, Yuan Ren1,2, Jun Wang3
1Division of Nephrology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Renal Failure
|October 16, 2024
Summary
Improved kidney function, specifically higher cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR-cys), is linked to a reduced risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). This suggests cystatin C may be a useful biomarker for dementia risk.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Genetics
Background:
- Growing evidence links kidney function to dementia prevalence.
- Research is increasingly focused on understanding this kidney-dementia connection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal relationship between kidney function and dementia.
- To analyze the association between renal function metrics and Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia.
Main Methods:
- Mendelian randomization analysis using data from CKDGen Consortium and FinnGen Biobank.
- Utilized cystatin C-based (eGFR-cys) and creatinine-based (eGFR-cre) estimated glomerular filtration rates, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR).
- Employed Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method with supplementary and sensitivity analyses.
Main Results:
- A higher eGFR-cys was significantly associated with a reduced incidence of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD) (OR = 0.35).
- This causal relationship persisted even after adjusting for eGFR-cre and UACR (OR = 0.08).
- Sensitivity analyses confirmed the reliability of these causal estimates.
Conclusions:
- Kidney function, particularly as measured by cystatin C, is associated with the risk of developing AD.
- Regular monitoring of cystatin C may serve as a valuable biomarker for assessing dementia risk.
- These findings support the importance of kidney health in relation to cognitive function.
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