[Non-smoking as risk factor for Alzheimer's disease?]

In several case-control studies an inverse association between smoking and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been observed. The purpose of this study was to assess the hypothesis that nonsmoking may be a risk factor for AD. A case-control study was conducted on 88 patients with the clinical diagnosis of "probable" AD and 54 controls matched for age and sex. Patients and controls were compared for number of cigarette smokers versus nonsmokers and for male to female ratio as well. In the group of patients onset of AD, duration of illness and decline of mental function documented by GDS scale was estimated in smokers in comparison with nonsmokers. Among the variables studied statistical significance reached predominance female to male in nonsmokers only. As female predominance is also observed in patients with AD, the significance of nonsmoking as a risk factor for AD has to be treated carefully.