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Risk Factors for Dementia in a Sample of Patients From a Quaternary Care Hospital Network in the United Arab Emirates
Akum Dhillon, Jawad Fazal. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 2025-10-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
A total of 281 dementia patients (mean age 74.9 ± 9.2 y, 46.3% females) and 281 age-matched controls (mean age 74.3 ± 4.6 y, 55.9% females) were included. Patients with dementia were more likely to have heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, chronic anemia, chronic kidney disease, Parkinson disease, other neurodegenerative changes, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and vitamin D deficiency, and less likely to have hyperlipidemia compared with controls. On logistic regression, only cerebrovascular disease (OR: 6.578, 95% CI: 2.163-20.004, P = 0.001) and mood disorders (OR: 10.046, 95% CI: 2.255-44.751, P = 0.002) were significantly and independently associated with dementia, while hyperlipidemia was protective (OR: 0.531, 95% CI: 0.360-0.783, P = 0.001). Cerebrovascular disease and mood disorders are potential risk factors for dementia in the MENA region, while a protective role for hyperlipidemia warrants further investigation.
Key findings
- A total of 281 dementia patients (mean age 74.9 ± 9.2 y, 46.3% females) and 281 age-matched controls (mean age 74.3 ± 4.6 y, 55.9% females) were included.
- Patients with dementia were more likely to have heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, chronic anemia, chronic kidney disease, Parkinson disease, other neurodegenerative changes, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and vitamin D deficiency, and less likely to have hyperlipidemia compared with controls.
- On logistic regression, only cerebrovascular disease (OR: 6.578, 95% CI: 2.163-20.004, P = 0.001) and mood disorders (OR: 10.046, 95% CI: 2.255-44.751, P = 0.002) were significantly and independently associated with dementia, while hyperlipidemia was protective (OR: 0.531, 95% CI: 0.360-0.783, P = 0.001).
- Cerebrovascular disease and mood disorders are potential risk factors for dementia in the MENA region, while a protective role for hyperlipidemia warrants further investigation.
Why it matters
In this case-control study, cerebrovascular disease and mood disorders were independently associated with dementia, while hyperlipidemia appeared protective. The design cannot prove cause and effect, and the protective role of hyperlipidemia needs further investigation.
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Study details
- Study designcase-control study
- Participants281
- Effect size46.3%; 55.9%; OR: 6.578
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a case-control study. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record and institution's track record, so those were left out: it earned 46 of the 93 points we could judge it on, which is 49 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders: journal h-index 131 (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 | 2 / 4 | 281 participants |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 3 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.9× 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 3 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Jawad Fazal holds only 6 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 0 institution(s) in 0 countries — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41051061) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 46 / 93 | Scored on 18 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 46 of the 93 points we could judge it on is 49 out of 100. |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Dhillon, A., & Fazal, J. (2025). Risk Factors for Dementia in a Sample of Patients From a Quaternary Care Hospital Network in the United Arab Emirates. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000691
Vancouver
Dhillon A, Fazal J. Risk Factors for Dementia in a Sample of Patients From a Quaternary Care Hospital Network in the United Arab Emirates. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders. 2025. doi:10.1097/wad.0000000000000691. PMID: 41051061.
BibTeX
@article{dhillon2025-41051061,
author = {Dhillon, Akum and Fazal, Jawad},
title = {{Risk Factors for Dementia in a Sample of Patients From a Quaternary Care Hospital Network in the United Arab Emirates}},
journal = {Alzheimer Disease \& Associated Disorders},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1097/wad.0000000000000691},
pmid = {41051061},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000691}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.