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Reference: Ravaglia, 2007
Cohort: Conselice Study of Brain Aging
Risk Factor: Inflammatory Biomarkers


Average Follow-up Time Detail
The study began in 1999-2000. Cognitive assessments and dementia diagnosis were conducted at a follow-up examination in 2003-2004.

Exposure Detail
The median plasma ACT level (369 mg/dL) was used to distinguish "high" from "low" levels. High ACT corresponded to a median value >369 mg/dL.

Ethnicity Detail
All participants resided in the Italian municipality of Conseliece (Emilia Romagna region).

Age Detail
The study includes individuals aged 65 years and older as of enrollment in 1999-2000.

Dementia cases were generally older than those not developing dementia (77.3 ± 6.0 years versus 73.0 ± 6.1 years, p < 0.001).

Screening and Diagnosis Detail
Screening Method:
Informant interview
MMSEMini-Mental State Examination (Folstein 1975)
Other

AD Diagnosis:
NINCDS ADRDA National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association Criteria (McKhann 1984)

Total dementia definition: The 109 cases of incident cases of dementia included 68 with AD, 34 with vascular dementia (VaD), and 7 cases with dementia from other causes. Dementia was defined using the DSM-IV clinical criteria [2]. AD was diagnosed using the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for probable or possible AD [25]. VaD was diagnosed using the NINDS-AIREN criteria [37].

"Participants were screened with the Italian version of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) [24] and [45] and those scoring below 24 underwent further examination with the Mental Deterioration Battery [5]. Dementia was diagnosed without further neuropsychological evaluation for those with MMSE scores below 10. Standardized information on general functional and mental status of these subjects was also obtained from a collateral informant (a relative or other person with reliable knowledge of the individual, including the subject's medical practitioner). Whenever recent neuroradiological data were not available, subjects were scheduled for a non-contrast computed tomography brain scan."

"For the other 124 survivors who were free of dementia at baseline but declined to participate at follow-up or deceased before re-examination, information from multiple sources (the subjects themselves, relatives, general practitioners, and death certificates) was used to define the presence or absence of dementia."

Date of dementia onset was estimated as the midpoint of the time interval from baseline study until follow-up or death.

Covariates & Analysis Detail
Analysis Type:
Cox proportional hazards regression

Since the actual values of the hazard ratios were not reported, we estimated the values from the graphs that were provided.

AD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
APOE4APOE e4 genotype
BMIbody mass index
CVDcardiovascular disease
PAphysical activity
HCYplasma homocysteine
CRTserum creatinine
FOLserum folate
SHstroke history
VTBvitamin B12

TD Covariates:
Aage
Eeducation
Ggender
APOE4APOE e4 genotype
BMIbody mass index
CVDcardiovascular disease
PAphysical activity
HCYplasma homocysteine
CRTserum creatinine
FOLserum folate
SHstroke history
VTBvitamin B12