The Relationship Between Pulse Pressure And Dementia In Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Purpose: As a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, wide pulse pressure (PP) may be related to cognitive impairment across the lifespan. Methods: A total of 313 patients with dementia and 1117 cognitively healthy individuals were included in this study. Dementia was diagnosed according to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria. Blood pressure (BP) measurements, demographics, comorbidities, laboratory results, and comprehensive geriatric assessment parameters were assessed. Results: While the mean age of the patients and the number of drugs were higher; the frequency of female sex and years of education were lower in the dementia group than in the control group (p<0.001 for each). Also, the Mini Nutritional Assessment scores, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate, folate, and 25 hydroxy vitamin D levels were lower in the dementia group than in the control group (p<0.001;p<0.001;p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). While the dementia group had wider PP than controls(p=0.006); there was no difference between the groups in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial BP values. When confounding factors were adjusted, the relationship between PP and dementia was significant (p=0.032). PP was positively correlated with dementia(p<0.01). Conclusion: This study showed that dementia seems to be related to wider pulse pressure in older adults. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the importance of pulse pressure in geriatric practice.

Keywords

• Dementia
• Pulse Pressure
• Mean Arterial Blood Pressure
• Older Adults

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