Relationship between extracranial carotid artery calcification and amyloid-β deposition in the brain among the very old: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND

Extracranial carotid artery calcification (ECAC) is a known risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and has been associated with an increased risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, the relationship between ECAC and amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition in older adults has not been fully understood.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to determine the relationship between ECAC and Aβ deposition in very old adults.

METHODS

90 participants (87.2 ± 2.7 years old, 96% whites, 63% males) without dementia from an observational study were included in the cross-sectional analysis. Aβ deposition in the brain was assessed using the C-labeled Pittsburgh compound-B positron emission tomography (PiB-PET) scans performed in 2009 and 2011. Carotid artery plaque and ECAC status were measured via high-resolution carotid ultrasonography in 2011.

RESULTS

Among the participants, 82 (91%) had carotid plaques, and 46 (51%) were globally Aβ positive by PiB-PET. ECAC was less frequently observed in the Aβ positive group compared to the Aβ negative group (90% versus 81%, p = 0.3). The odds of Aβ positivity in those with ECAC were 62% lower than in those without ECAC. However, the association was not statistically significant (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: [0.08, 1.76 ], p = 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS

In the population whose average age is older than 85 without dementia, there is no statistically significant association between ECAC and Aβ deposition after adjusting for confounding factors. The relationship between ECAC and dementia in older adults warrants further analysis in a larger and more racially and ethnically diverse population.