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Cardiometabolic Trajectories Preceding Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Individuals
Zimu Wu, Lachlan Cribb, Rory Wolfe, Raj C. Shah, Suzanne Gaye Orchard, Alice J. Owen, Robyn L. Woods, Swarna Vishwanath et al.. JAMA Network Open, 2025-02-07
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Among 5390 participants (mean [SD] age, 76.9 [4.8] years; 2915 women [54.1%]), there were 2655 individuals (49.3%) with less than 12 years of education. The study included 1078 dementia cases and 4312 controls. Up to a decade before diagnosis, dementia cases compared with controls had lower BMI for all years from -7 years (marginal estimate, 27.52 [95% CI, 27.24 to 27.79] vs 28.00 [95% CI, 27.86 to 28.14]; contrast P = 002) to 0 years (marginal estimate, 26.09 [95% CI, 25.81 to 26.36] vs 27.22 [95% CI, 27.09 to 27.36]; contrast P < .001) and lower waist circumference for all years from -10 years (marginal estimate, 95.45 cm [95% CI, 94.33 to 96.57 cm] vs 97.35 cm [95% CI, 96.79 to 97.92 cm]; contrast P = .003) to 0 years (marginal estimate, 93.90 [95% CI, 93.15 cm to 94.64 cm] vs 96.67 cm [95% CI, 96.30 to 97.05 cm]; contrast P < .001); cases also had a faster decline in BMI (linear change β, -0.13 [95% CI, -0.19 to -0.08]) and waist circumference (linear change β, -0.30 cm [95% CI, -0.51 to -0.08 cm]). Compared with controls, cases generally had higher HDL levels, in particular from 5 years (marginal estimate, 62.57 mg/dL [95% CI, 61.59 to 63.56 mg/dL] vs 60.84 mg/dL [95% CI, 60.35 to 61.34 mg/dL]; contrast P = .002) to 3 years (marginal estimate, 62.78 mg/dL [95% CI, 61.82 to 63.74 mg/dL] vs 61.08 mg/dL [95% CI, 60.60 to 61.56 mg/dL]; contrast P = .002) before dementia but with a decline in levels just before diagnosis (linear change β, -0.47 mg/dL [95% CI, -0.86 to -0.07 mg/dL]). Dementia cases had lower systolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels in the decade before diagnosis and higher LDL and total cholesterol levels, but these were not significantly different from controls. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of older individuals, decline in BMI, waist circumference, and HDL occurred up to a decade before dementia diagnosis. These findings provide insights into cardiometabolic changes preceding dementia and the potential for early monitoring and intervention.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wu, Z., Cribb, L., Wolfe, R., Shah, R. C., Orchard, S. G., Owen, A. J., et al. (2025). Cardiometabolic Trajectories Preceding Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Individuals. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58591
Vancouver
Wu Z, Cribb L, Wolfe R, Shah RC, Orchard SG, Owen AJ, et al. Cardiometabolic Trajectories Preceding Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Individuals. JAMA Network Open. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58591. PMID: 39918818.
BibTeX
@article{wu2025-39918818,
author = {Wu, Zimu and Cribb, Lachlan and Wolfe, Rory and Shah, Raj C. and Orchard, Suzanne Gaye and Owen, Alice J. and Woods, Robyn L. and Vishwanath, Swarna and others},
title = {{Cardiometabolic Trajectories Preceding Dementia in Community-Dwelling Older Individuals}},
journal = {JAMA Network Open},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58591},
pmid = {39918818},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58591}
}
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Key findings
- Among 5390 participants (mean [SD] age, 76.9 [4.8] years; 2915 women [54.1%]), there were 2655 individuals (49.3%) with less than 12 years of education.
- The study included 1078 dementia cases and 4312 controls.
- Up to a decade before diagnosis, dementia cases compared with controls had lower BMI for all years from -7 years (marginal estimate, 27.52 [95% CI, 27.24 to 27.79] vs 28.00 [95% CI, 27.86 to 28.14]; contrast P = 002) to 0 years (marginal estimate, 26.09 [95% CI, 25.81 to 26.36] vs 27.22 [95% CI, 27.09 to 27.36]; contrast P < .001) and lower waist circumference for all years from -10 years (marginal estimate, 95.45 cm [95% CI, 94.33 to 96.57 cm] vs 97.35 cm [95% CI, 96.79 to 97.92 cm]; contrast P = .003) to 0 years (marginal estimate, 93.90 [95% CI, 93.15 cm to 94.64 cm] vs 96.67 cm [95% CI, 96.30 to 97.05 cm]; contrast P < .001); cases also had a faster decline in BMI (linear change β, -0.13 [95% CI, -0.19 to -0.08]) and waist circumference (linear change β, -0.30 cm [95% CI, -0.51 to -0.08 cm]).
- Compared with controls, cases generally had higher HDL levels, in particular from 5 years (marginal estimate, 62.57 mg/dL [95% CI, 61.59 to 63.56 mg/dL] vs 60.84 mg/dL [95% CI, 60.35 to 61.34 mg/dL]; contrast P = .002) to 3 years (marginal estimate, 62.78 mg/dL [95% CI, 61.82 to 63.74 mg/dL] vs 61.08 mg/dL [95% CI, 60.60 to 61.56 mg/dL]; contrast P = .002) before dementia but with a decline in levels just before diagnosis (linear change β, -0.47 mg/dL [95% CI, -0.86 to -0.07 mg/dL]).
- Dementia cases had lower systolic blood pressure and triglyceride levels in the decade before diagnosis and higher LDL and total cholesterol levels, but these were not significantly different from controls.
Why it matters
This case-control study found that people who developed dementia had lower BMI and waist circumference up to a decade before diagnosis compared with controls. It describes cardiometabolic trajectories preceding dementia and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcase-control study
- Participants1,078
- Effect size54.1%; 49.3%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 64/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a case-control study. Scored zero for randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA Network Open) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Network Open: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 6 / 12 | A case-control study |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” 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 | 3 / 4 | 1,078 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 22 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 22 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Joanne L. Ryan: h-index 60 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Monash University: institution h-index 1,146 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39918818) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 64 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58591
- PubMed: 39918818
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Network Open →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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