Variation in Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides Linked to Alzheimer Disease Risk

THURSDAY, July 6, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Variability in total cholesterol and triglycerides is associated with an increased risk for incident Alzheimer disease and Alzheimer disease-related dementias (AD/ADRD), according to a study published online July 5 in Neurology.

Ethan D. Moser, from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues examined the variation of multiple lipid types and their association with the development of AD/ADRD in a large geographically defined population-based cohort of residents living in Olmsted County, Minnesota, aged 60 years on the index date (Jan. 1, 2006). Participants with three or more lipid measurements in the five years prior to the index date were included; lipid variation was measured using variability independent of the mean.

The final analysis included 11,571 participants who were followed for a median of 12.9 years. The researchers identified 2,473 incident AD/ADRD cases during follow-up. Participants in the highest quintile of total cholesterol variability had a 19 percent increased risk for AD/ADRD, and those in the highest quintile of triglycerides variability had a 23 percent increased risk after adjustment for multiple confounding variables, including sex, race, baseline lipid measurements, education, body mass index, and lipid-lowering treatment.

"It remains unclear why and how fluctuating levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are related to the risk of Alzheimer's disease," a coauthor said in a statement. "Further studies looking at the changes over time for this relationship are needed in order to confirm our results and potentially consider preventative strategies."

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text