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Published on: December 16, 2022
Coffee Consumption Correlates With Better Cognitive Performance in Patients With a High Incidence for Stroke
Massimo Barbagallo1,2, Anne Springer3,4, Chiara Vanetta5
1Department of Internal Medicine Cantonal Hospital of Baden Baden Switzerland.
Insights
Regular coffee consumption may benefit cognitive function in elderly individuals with atrial fibrillation. Higher intake correlated with better cognitive scores and reduced inflammation markers, suggesting a protective effect.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation is a known risk factor for cognitive impairment.
- Coffee consumption offers cognitive benefits in healthy individuals, but its effect in patients with atrial fibrillation is debated.
- This study investigated the impact of regular coffee consumption on cognitive decline in elderly patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between regular coffee consumption and cognitive performance in elderly individuals with atrial fibrillation.
- To explore the relationship between coffee intake and inflammatory markers in this patient group.
- To determine if coffee consumption can mitigate cognitive decline in a vulnerable population.
Main Methods:
- Cognitive function was assessed using a comprehensive neurocognitive test battery, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Trail-Making Test, semantic fluency, and Digit-Symbol-Substitution Test.
- Daily coffee consumption was quantified via a structured nutrition questionnaire.
- Inflammatory markers, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), were measured. Linear mixed-effects models were employed for data analysis, controlling for potential confounders.
Main Results:
- Higher coffee consumption (more than 5 cups/day) was associated with a significantly improved cognitive construct score compared to lower intake (<1 cup/day) (p=0.048).
- While the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores showed a positive trend with increased coffee intake, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.163).
- Inflammatory markers, particularly IL-6, showed a significant decrease with higher coffee consumption (p=0.017), while hs-CRP showed a non-significant trend towards reduction.
Conclusions:
- Coffee consumption in patients with atrial fibrillation may be linked to enhanced cognitive performance.
- Higher coffee intake appears to be associated with reduced systemic inflammation in this population.
- Further research is warranted to validate these findings and explore the potential role of coffee in dietary recommendations for atrial fibrillation management.
Background:
Atrial fibrillation is an independent risk factor for the development of cognitive impairments. Regular coffee consumption has shown cognitive benefits in healthy individuals. Whether regular consumption reduces cognitive decline in vulnerable patients is controversial. We investigated the association in elderly people with atrial fibrillation.
Methods And Results:
Daily coffee consumption was assessed using a structured nutrition questionnaire, and cognitive function was evaluated by a detailed neurocognitive-test-battery, including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Trail-Making Test, semantic fluency, and Digit-Symbol-Substitution Test. The cognitive construct score combines all neurocognitive tests mentioned and provides an overall cognitive performance indicator. Hs-CRP (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) and IL-6 (interleukin-6) were measured to explore an association with inflammation. Results were estimated using linear mixed-effects-models with detailed adjustments for confounders. The <1 cup/day consumers (reference group) reached a cognitive construct score of -0.24 (95% CI, -0.27 to -0.16), and the group with the highest consumption (>5 cups/day) was at -0.10 (95% CI, -0.10 to 0.04; p=0.048). Montreal Cognitive Assessment score in the reference group was 24.58 (95% CI, 24.58-25.32); the group with the highest intake achieved 25.25 (95% CI, 24.98-26.85; p=0.163). Inflammatory markers decreased with higher coffee consumption (hs-CRP with 5 compared with <1 cup/day by factor 0.78 [95% CI, 0.54-1.13], p= 0.188, IL-6 significantly by factor 0.73 [95% CI, 0.57-0.95], p=0.017).
Conclusions:
Coffee consumption in patients with atrial fibrillation may be associated with improved cognitive performance and reduced inflammatory markers. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to consider implementation in dietary counseling for atrial fibrillation management.
Registration:
URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Identifier: NCT02105844.
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