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25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services
Buell JS, Dawson-Hughes B, Scott TM, Weiner DE, Dallal GE, Qui WQ, Bergethon P, Rosenberg IH et al.. Neurology, 2009-11-25
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Vitamin D deficiency has potential adverse effects on neurocognitive health and subcortical function. However, no studies have examined the association between vitamin D status, dementia, and cranial MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease (CVD). Methods Cross-sectional investigation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], dementia, and MRI measures of CVD in elders receiving home care (aged 65-99 years) from 2003 to 2007. Results Among 318 participants, the mean age was 73.5 +/- 8.1 years, 231 (72.6%) were women, and 109 (34.3%) were black. 25(OH)D concentrations were deficient ( Conclusions Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was associated with all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, stroke (with and without dementia symptoms), and MRI indicators of cerebrovascular disease. These findings suggest a potential vasculoprotective role of vitamin D.
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APA 7th
Buell, J. S., Dawson-Hughes, B., Scott, T. M., Weiner, D. E., Dallal, G. E., Qui, W. Q., et al. (2010). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181beecb7
Vancouver
Buell JS, Dawson-Hughes B, Scott TM, Weiner DE, Dallal GE, Qui WQ, et al. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services. Neurology. 2010. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181beecb7. PMID: 19940273.
BibTeX
@article{buell2010-19940273,
author = {Buell, J. S. and Dawson-Hughes, B. and Scott, T. M. and Weiner, D. E. and Dallal, G. E. and Qui, W. Q. and Bergethon, P. and Rosenberg, I. H. and others},
title = {{25-Hydroxyvitamin D, dementia, and cerebrovascular pathology in elders receiving home services}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181beecb7},
pmid = {19940273},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181beecb7}
}
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Key findings
- Results Among 318 participants, the mean age was 73.5 +/- 8.1 years, 231 (72.6%) were women, and 109 (34.3%) were black. 25(OH)D concentrations were deficient (<10 ng/mL) in 14.5% and insufficient (10-20 ng/mL) in 44.3% of participants.
- These findings suggest a potential vasculoprotective role of vitamin D.
Why it matters
In this cross-sectional study of 318 home-care elders, vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency were associated with all-cause dementia, Alzheimer disease, stroke, and MRI signs of cerebrovascular disease. Because the design is cross-sectional, it cannot show that vitamin D causes or prevents dementia, and the authors only suggest a possible vasculoprotective role.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants318
- Effect size72.6%; 34.3%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 318 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 289 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.1 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 12 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Katherine L. Tucker: h-index 111 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19940273) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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