Both high and low levels of HDL cholesterol are related to a somewhat raised dementia threat in older grownups, according to current research..
Both elevated and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, frequently described as “excellent” cholesterol, are associated with a slightly increased risk of dementia in older grownups, according to a research study just recently released in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
This research study does not prove that low or high levels of HDL cholesterol cause dementia; it only reveals an association.
Background and Previous Findings.
” Previous research studies on this subject have been inconclusive and this study is especially helpful due to the fact that of the big number of individuals and long follow-up,” stated study author Maria Glymour, ScD, of Boston University. “This details allowed us to study the relate to dementia across the variety of cholesterol levels and accomplish accurate quotes even for people with cholesterol levels that are quite high or rather low.”.
The average HDL cholesterol level was 53.7 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).” The elevation in dementia threat with both high and low levels of HDL cholesterol was unanticipated, but these increases are little, and their clinical significance is unpredictable,” Glymour said. “In contrast, we discovered no association between LDL cholesterol and dementia risk in the overall study cohort. Our results include to proof that HDL cholesterol has likewise intricate associations with dementia as with heart illness and cancer.”.
Information of the Study.
The study included 184,367 people from the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Health Plan, with a typical age of 70 who did not have dementia at the beginning of the study.
For research study functions, they submitted a study on their health habits and had their cholesterol levels determined during regular healthcare sees approximately 2.5 times in the following 2 years. They were then followed within the Kaiser healthcare system via electronic health records for an average of nine years. Throughout that time, 25,214 individuals developed dementia.
Findings on HDL Cholesterol Levels and Dementia Risk.
The typical HDL cholesterol level was 53.7 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Healthy levels are thought about to be above 40 mg/dL for males and above 50 mg/dL for females. Participants were divided into 5 groups based on their HDL cholesterol levels.
Individuals with the highest levels of HDL cholesterol had a 15% greater rate of dementia compared to those in the middle group. Those with the lowest levels had a 7% greater rate of dementia compared to those in the middle group.
Considering Other Risk Factors.
These results took into account other elements that might impact the danger of dementia, such as alcohol use, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.
The scientists discovered just a small association in between low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol, and the risk of dementia.
” The elevation in dementia danger with both low and high levels of HDL cholesterol was unanticipated, but these boosts are little, and their medical significance is unpredictable,” Glymour stated. “In contrast, we found no association in between LDL cholesterol and dementia threat in the total study associate. Our outcomes contribute to evidence that HDL cholesterol has likewise complex associations with dementia similar to heart disease and cancer.”.
Reference: “Low- and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Dementia Risk Over 17 Years of Follow-up Among Members of a Large Health Care Plan” by Erin L Ferguson, Scott C Zimmerman, Chen Jiang, Minhyuk Choi, Kaitlin Swinnerton, Vidhu Choudhary, Travis J Meyers, Thomas J Hoffmann, Paola Gilsanz, Akinyemi Oni-Orisan, Rachel A Whitmer, Neil Risch, Ronald Krauss, Catherine A Schaefer and M. Maria Glymour, 4 October 2023, Neurology.DOI: 10.1212/ WNL.0000000000207876.
A restriction of the study was that people offered to participate in the study, so they might not be representative of the bigger population.
The study was supported by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health.