May 18, 2024

Rethinking “Good” Cholesterol: Study Links High HDL-C Levels to Increased Dementia Risk

* The Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial is a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of daily aspirin in healthy older individuals. ASPREE recruited 16,703 individuals aged ≥ 70 years (from Australia) and 2,411 participants aged ≥ 65 years (from the United States) between 2010 and 2014. Participants had actually no identified cardiovascular disease, dementia, physical disability, or lethal illness at enrolment. The research study continues in the observational follow-up stage, ASPREE-XT (Extension).

A Monash University-led study found a link between high levels of HDL-C ( excellent cholesterol) and increased dementia threat in older adults, especially those over 75. This considerable finding calls for additional research study to explore the effect of high HDL-C on brain health.
Research Study from Monash University suggests that high levels of good cholesterol (HDL-C) are connected with an increased danger of dementia in the senior, highlighting a need for more in-depth research study in this location.
Unusually high levels of HDL-C, informally called great cholesterol, are connected with an increased risk of dementia in older adults, a Monash University-led research study has actually discovered.
Scientist stated really high levels of HDL-C connected to dementia risk in this research study were unusual and not diet plan associated, however more likely to show a metabolic disorder.

The findings may assist doctors to recognize a group of older patients potentially at threat of dementia, especially in those aged 75 and older.
Findings in Elderly Populations
Released in The Lancet Regional Health– Western Pacific, this is among the largest research studies of elevated HDL-C levels and dementia in initially healthy older people aged mainly over 70, registered in the ASPREE * study.
Over an average 6.3 years, participants with very high HDL-C (>> 80 mg/dL or >> 2.07 mmol/L) at study entry were observed to have a 27 percent higher danger of dementia compared to individuals with optimum HDL-C levels, while those aged 75 years and older likewise revealed a 42 percent increased danger compared to those with ideal levels.
Really high HDL-C levels were categorized as 80 mg/dL (>> 2.07 mmol/L) or above. The ideal level of HDL-C of 40 to 60 mg/dL (1.03– 1.55 mmol/L) for guys and 50 to 60 mg/dL (1.55– 2.07 mmol/L) for females was normally useful for heart health.
Individual Data
Among 18,668 participants consisted of in this analysis, 2709 had extremely high HDL-C at research study entry, with 38 occurrences of dementia in those aged less than 75 years with extremely high levels, and 101 in those aged 75 and more with extremely high levels.
Author and Monash University School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine senior research study fellow Dr. Monira Hussain stated that further research study was required to discuss why a really high HDL cholesterol level appeared to affect the threat of dementia.
Further Research Required
Dr. Hussain said these research study findings could help improve our understanding of the systems behind dementia, but more research was required.
” While we understand HDL cholesterol is necessary for cardiovascular health, this study suggests that we need more research study to comprehend the role of very high HDL cholesterol in the context of brain health,” she stated.
” It might be beneficial to consider really high HDL cholesterol levels in forecast algorithms for dementia risk.”
Referral: “Association of plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level with risk of incident dementia: a cohort study of healthy older grownups” by Sultana Monira Hussain, Catherine Robb, Andrew M. Tonkin, Paul Lacaze, Trevor T.-J. Chong, Lawrence J. Beilin, Chenglong Yu, Gerald F. Watts, Joanne Ryan, Michael E. Ernst, Zhen Zhou, Johannes T. Neumann and John J. McNeil, 29 November 2023, The Lancet Regional Health– Western Pacific.DOI: 10.1016/ j.lanwpc.2023.100963.
Participants had actually no detected cardiovascular illness, dementia, physical disability, or deadly health problem at enrolment. The research study continues in the observational follow-up stage, ASPREE-XT (Extension).