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A critical review and classification of dementia risk assessment tools to inform dementia risk reduction
Md Hamidul Huque, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Meiwei Li, Kim M. Kiely, Ruth K Peters, Kaarin Jane Anstey. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease, 2025-09-02
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Addressing modifiable dementia risk factors requires reliable risk assessment methods. We aimed to synthesise knowledge on risk scores for all cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia, classify them according to target population, evaluate their content, cost, appropriateness of validation studies, and suitability for implementing risk reduction guidelines. A systematic search was conducted of PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration, ProQuest, Scopus, Embase, and PsycINFO databases using a pre-registered protocol. Data on risk factors, target population, predictive validity, cost, and alignment with WHO guidelines were extracted. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed. Of 45 risk scores identified, 29 were for all-cause dementia, including 11 based on late-life cohorts, 6 on midlife, and 7 covering mid to late-life. The pooled C-statistic across development and validation studies of dementia risk scores was 0.69 (95 % CI: 0.67, 0.71). Development study AUCs were higher than validation study AUCs and dropped from 0.74 to 0.66 for risk scores developed for clinical samples and from 0.79 to 0.71 for AD specific scores (which include functional indicators non-independent of disease). There were no validated risk scores for vascular dementia. Dem-NCD, CogDrisk, ANU-ADRI and LIBRA risk scores incorporated most WHO-recommended risk factors and demonstrated accuracy comparable to the overall pooled C-statistic. We conclude that across the field, there are methodological limitations relating to validation, and inappropriate comparison of tools designed for different purposes or target populations. However, there are now several validated, risk scores for all-cause dementia and AD that assess modifiable factors and offer cost-effective dementia risk assessment and risk reduction advice.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Huque, M. H., Eramudugolla, R., Li, M., Kiely, K. M., Peters, R. K., & Anstey, K. J. (2025). A critical review and classification of dementia risk assessment tools to inform dementia risk reduction. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100333
Vancouver
Huque MH, Eramudugolla R, Li M, Kiely KM, Peters RK, Anstey KJ. A critical review and classification of dementia risk assessment tools to inform dementia risk reduction. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100333. PMID: 40903313.
BibTeX
@article{huque2025-40903313,
author = {Huque, Md Hamidul and Eramudugolla, Ranmalee and Li, Meiwei and Kiely, Kim M. and Peters, Ruth K and Anstey, Kaarin Jane},
title = {{A critical review and classification of dementia risk assessment tools to inform dementia risk reduction}},
journal = {The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100333},
pmid = {40903313},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100333}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Dem-NCD, CogDrisk, ANU-ADRI and LIBRA risk scores incorporated most WHO-recommended risk factors and demonstrated accuracy comparable to the overall pooled C-statistic.
- We conclude that across the field, there are methodological limitations relating to validation, and inappropriate comparison of tools designed for different purposes or target populations.
Why it matters
This review classified 45 dementia risk scores and found a pooled C-statistic of 0.69, with no validated risk scores for vascular dementia and methodological limitations relating to validation. It is about assessing dementia risk to inform risk reduction, not about treating or curing the disease.
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Study details
- Study designmeta-analysis
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a meta-analysis pooling many studies. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease: journal h-index 63 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A meta-analysis pooling many studies |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomization is not credited here |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Kaarin Jane Anstey: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | UNSW Sydney: institution h-index 1,101 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40903313) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2025.100333
- PubMed: 40903313
- Original source →
- Free full text: The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer s Disease →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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