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Midlife blood pressure and dementia: the Honolulu-Asia aging study
Launer LJ, Ross GW, Petrovitch H, Masaki K, Foley D, White LR, Havlik RJ.. Neurobiology of aging, 2000-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
We studied the association of mid-life blood pressure to late age dementia, specifically Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Data are from the cohort of 3703 Japanese-American men who were followed in the Honolulu Heart Program (HHP;1965-1971), and subsequently re-examined in 1991 for dementia. We assessed the risk (odds ratio (95% CI)) for dementia associated with categories of systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), stratified by never/ever treatment with anti-hypertensive medications, and adjusting for age, education, apolipoprotein epsilon allele, smoking and alcohol intake. Among those never treated (57% sample), the risk for dementia was OR 95% CI 3.8 (1.6-8.7) for DBP of 90-94 mm Hg, and 4. 3 (1.7-10.8) for DBP of 95 mmHg and over compared to those with DBP of 80 to 89 mm Hg. Compared to those with SBP of 110 to 139 mm Hg, the risk for dementia was 4.8 (2.0-11.0) in those with SBP 160 mm Hg and higher. Blood pressure was not associated with the risk for dementia in treated men. These results were consistent for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. This study suggests elevated levels of blood pressure in middle age can increase the risk for late age dementia in men never treated with anti-hypertensive medication.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Moderate
The authors report the same pattern for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Among men who had been treated, blood pressure was not linked to dementia; this observational study does not show that treatment caused that difference.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Launer, L. J., Ross, G. W., Petrovitch, H., Masaki, K., Foley, D., White, L. R., et al. (2000). Midlife blood pressure and dementia: the Honolulu-Asia aging study. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4580(00)00096-8
Vancouver
Launer LJ, Ross GW, Petrovitch H, Masaki K, Foley D, White LR, et al. Midlife blood pressure and dementia: the Honolulu-Asia aging study. Neurobiology of aging. 2000. doi:10.1016/s0197-4580(00)00096-8. PMID: 10794848.
BibTeX
@article{launer2000-10794848,
author = {Launer, L. J. and Ross, G. W. and Petrovitch, H. and Masaki, K. and Foley, D. and White, L. R. and Havlik, R. J.},
title = {{Midlife blood pressure and dementia: the Honolulu-Asia aging study}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1016/s0197-4580(00)00096-8},
pmid = {10794848},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4580(00)00096-8}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- We assessed the risk (odds ratio (95% CI)) for dementia associated with categories of systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), stratified by never/ever treatment with anti-hypertensive medications, and adjusting for age, education, apolipoprotein epsilon allele, smoking and alcohol intake.
- Among those never treated (57% sample), the risk for dementia was OR 95% CI 3.8 (1.6-8.7) for DBP of 90-94 mm Hg, and 4. 3 (1.7-10.8) for DBP of 95 mmHg and over compared to those with DBP of 80 to 89 mm Hg.
- Compared to those with SBP of 110 to 139 mm Hg, the risk for dementia was 4.8 (2.0-11.0) in those with SBP 160 mm Hg and higher.
- Blood pressure was not associated with the risk for dementia in treated men.
- These results were consistent for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
Why it matters
In 3,703 Japanese-American men first examined in the Honolulu Heart Program in 1965–1971 and checked for dementia in 1991, those who had never taken blood-pressure medication and had high midlife blood pressure had higher odds of dementia: 3.8 to 4.3 times for diastolic pressure of 90 mm Hg or more (versus 80–89), and 4.8 times for systolic pressure of 160 mm Hg or more (versus 110–139), with wide confidence intervals. The authors report the same pattern for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Among men who had been treated, blood pressure was not linked to dementia; this observational study does not show that treatment caused that difference.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 56/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2000 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,008 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 36.0 citations a year over 28 year(s) since 2000 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 93 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 78 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Richard J. Havlik: h-index 56 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | National Institutes of Health: institution h-index 2,723 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10794848) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 56 / 100 | — |
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