Cardio-ankle vascular index as a predictor of cognitive impairment in community-dwelling elderly people: four-year follow-up.

Background/aim: The relation between markers of generalized atherosclerosis and cognitive impairment in old age is controversial. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) as a predictor of longitudinal changes in cognitive function in older individuals.

Methods: We evaluated the cognitive function in elderly people with high (AS(+)) and low (AS(-)) values of CAVI each year over 4 years.

Results: The changes in the Hasegawa Dementia Scale Revised (HDS-R) and the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) at 4 years were significantly larger in the AS(+) group (AS(+) vs. AS(-) = -1.8 +/- 4.4 vs. 0.3 +/- 2.8 points and -1.1 +/- 3.0 vs. 0.1 +/- 2.3 points, p = 0.008 and 0.03, respectively). The annual changes in the HDS-R were significantly decreased from baseline at 1 year later to 4 years later in AS(+) (baseline vs. 1, 2, 3, 4 years = 26.5 vs. 25.0, 25.5, 25.7, 24.8 points, p < 0.001); in comparison, the annual changes in MMSE significantly decreased from the baseline over the 4 years in AS (+) (baseline vs. 1, 2, 3, 4 years = 26.8 vs. 26.2, 25.8, 26.4, 25.7 points, p = 0.002).

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that elderly people with a high CAVI value are at a greater risk of cognitive decline.