Framingham Risk Score may help predict cognitive decline

A high Framingham Risk Score was associated with decreases in executive function, according to research presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting.

The findings indicate that the calculator may identify patients who can implement prevention strategies to mediate declines in executive function, Yesica Campos, MD, at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and colleagues wrote in their abstract.

"Studies have shown that vascular risk factors contribute to the development of dementia, but the value of vascular risk scores as predictors of cognitive performance in memory clinic patients without clinical evidence of impairment is less understood," the researchers wrote.

Yesica Campos

Campos and colleagues evaluated data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI2), including participants who had subjective memory complaints (N = 105) or were cognitively normal (N = 277). They calculated using participants' BMI, systolic BP, age and smoking, diabetes and hypertension status. They measured cognitive performance with composite scores for memory and executive function.

Results showed that a higher Framingham Risk Score was predictive of worsening executive function scores in all participants (b = –0.18; 95% CI, –0.33 to –0.01; P = .03).

The researchers reported that Framingham Risk Score was not associated with decreases in memory scores.

"Our study showed that greater 10-year Framingham risk predicted a decline in executive function in ADNI2 participants who were cognitively normal with or without subjective memory complaints," Campos told Healio Internal Medicine. "The Framingham risk calculator may help identify cognitively normal people at risk of cognitive decline. The effect of Framingham risk on decline in executive function was attenuated after adjusting for markers of cerebral small vessel disease and amyloid burden, suggesting vascular risk may impact cognition through these pathways. Potentially modifiable vascular risk factors may have a role in prevention of cognitive decline." – by Chelsea Frajerman Pardes

Reference:

Campos Y, et al. Framingham Risk Score and cognitive outcomes in cognitively normal and subjective memory complaint subjects. Presented at: American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 15-21, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia.

Disclosures: Campos reported no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full abstract for a complete list of all other authors' relevant financial disclosures.