Comorbidities and apolipoprotein E genotypes of patients with mild cognitive impairment in transition to Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND

Three common chronic diseases in the elderly: diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia, associate with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

OBJECTIVE

We will examine the association of apolipoprotein E () ε4 allele, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia (in combination) with the transition of MCI to AD.

METHODS

We examine patients from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center database from June 2005 to May 2021. AD converted from MCI, stable MCI, and non MCI/AD control subjects were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models with propensity score weights on matching demographic information and medications prescribed at baseline.

RESULTS

With MCI time of diagnosis as the index date, MCI patients with diabetes and hypertension carried a higher risk of developing AD (HR = 1.17, 95%CI (1.04, 1.31), p = 0.01) compared to MCI patients with a single condition. A similar observation was found among MCI patients with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia (HR = 1.20, 95%CI (1.07, 1.36), p = 0.002). Compared to MCI patients who had a single condition and without ε4 allele, MCI patients with ε4/4 and both diabetes and hypertension have a significantly higher risk of AD onset (HR = 7.6, 95%CI (5.02, 11.5), p < 0.0001). Those with ε3/4 also have a significantly high risk (HR = 2.3, 95%CI (1.92, 2.75), p < 0.0001). Comparable outcomes were found among those with diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of diabetes with hypertension or hypercholesterolemia have a significant association with the progression of MCI to AD, and ε4 allele enhances the association of these selected comorbidities in promoting this conversion.