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Synergistic Interactions of Midlife Multimorbidity on Dementia： A Stratified Analysis by Neuropsychiatric Subtypes
Wei R, Xu Z, NI J, Cao Y, Chen T, Zhang F, Zhu X.. Research Square, 2026-07-29
Topic: Brain imaging, connectivity and assessment
Background This study examined whether individual chronic conditions, disease combinations, and disease-disease interactions were associated with suspected dementia and its neuropsychiatric symptom profiles. Methods This cross-section study included adults aged 60 years or older from three districts in Nantong, China. Suspected dementia was identified using the Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale. Six somatic comorbidities were assessed from reported medical history, and neuropsychiatric symptoms were evaluated using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire. Multiple imputation was used for missing covariate data. Logistic regression and Firth penalized logistic regression were used to estimate associations for single diseases, two- and three disease combinations, and interaction terms. Latent class analysis was performed among participants with suspected dementia and complete neuropsychiatric symptom data. Results Among 2,597 participants, 591 were classified as having suspected dementia. After full adjustment, multimorbidity patterns showed stronger associations than individual diseases. The leading two-disease combinations were diabetes with oral disease (aOR = 4.28), osteoporosis with ear disease (aOR = 3.13), ear disease with oral disease (aOR = 2.88), and diabetes with osteoporosis (aOR = 2.50). The strongest three-disease patterns were diabetes with eye disease and oral disease (aOR = 4.22), diabetes with ear disease and oral disease (aOR = 3.51), and hypertension with diabetes and oral disease (aOR = 3.09). Latent class analysis identified minimal-symptom, sleep appetite disturbance, and agitated-irritable profiles; multimorbidity was most strongly associated with the agitated–irritable class. Conclusion Specific disease clusters involving diabetes, oral disease, sensory impairment, and osteoporosis were associated with suspected dementia and neuropsychiatric heterogeneity, supporting integrated multimorbidity-oriented screening and care. Trial registration: This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1900020923).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wei, R., Xu, Z., NI, J., Cao, Y., Chen, T., Zhang, F., et al. (2026). Synergistic Interactions of Midlife Multimorbidity on Dementia： A Stratified Analysis by Neuropsychiatric Subtypes. Research Square. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-10402188/v1
Vancouver
Wei R, Xu Z, NI J, Cao Y, Chen T, Zhang F, et al. Synergistic Interactions of Midlife Multimorbidity on Dementia： A Stratified Analysis by Neuropsychiatric Subtypes. Research Square. 2026. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-10402188/v1.
BibTeX
@article{wei2026-b0111b5c,
author = {Wei, R. and Xu, Z. and NI, J. and Cao, Y. and Chen, T. and Zhang, F. and Zhu, X.},
title = {{Synergistic Interactions of Midlife Multimorbidity on Dementia： A Stratified Analysis by Neuropsychiatric Subtypes}},
journal = {Research Square},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.21203/rs.3.rs-10402188/v1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-10402188/v1}
}
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
- Background This study examined whether individual chronic conditions, disease combinations, and disease-disease interactions were associated with suspected dementia and its neuropsychiatric symptom profiles.
- Results Among 2,597 participants, 591 were classified as having suspected dementia.
- Latent class analysis identified minimal-symptom, sleep appetite disturbance, and agitated-irritable profiles; multimorbidity was most strongly associated with the agitated–irritable class.
- Conclusion Specific disease clusters involving diabetes, oral disease, sensory impairment, and osteoporosis were associated with suspected dementia and neuropsychiatric heterogeneity, supporting integrated multimorbidity-oriented screening and care.
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Study details
- Participants2,597
- Effect sizeaOR = 4.28; aOR = 3.13; aOR = 2.88
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 35 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for study design and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multicenter collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 22 of the 62 points we could judge it on, which is 35 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (Research Square) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 2,597 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multicenter collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 22 / 62 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 22 of the 62 points we could judge it on is 35 out of 100. |
| Total | 35 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
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