Triglycerides as a Shared Risk Factor between Dementia and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Study of 125 727 Individuals

Background Risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease such as smoking, hypertension, physical inactivity, and diabetes have also been associated with risk of dementia. Whether hypertriglyceridemia represents a shared risk factor as well remains unknown. We tested the hypothesis that hypertriglyceridemia is associated with increased risk of non-Alzheimer dementia, Alzheimer disease, and ischemic stroke. Methods Using the Copenhagen General Population Study and the Copenhagen City Heart Study, we examined the association between increased plasma triglycerides and risk of non-Alzheimer dementia, Alzheimer disease, and ischemic stroke with Cox regression. Results On a continuous scale, higher concentrations of plasma triglycerides were associated with increased risk of non-Alzheimer dementia and ischemic stroke, but not with Alzheimer disease. In age, sex, and cohort adjusted models, the highest percentile of triglycerides (median 629 mg/dL; 7.1 mmol/L) versus the 1–50th percentiles (median 89 mg/dL; 1.0 mmol/L) was associated with hazard ratios of 1.75 (95% confidence interval: 1.17–2.63) for non-Alzheimer dementia, 1.18 (0.73–1.91) for Alzheimer disease, and of 1.89 (1.50–2.38) for ischemic stroke. Corresponding hazard ratios were 1.62 (1.08–2.44), 1.25 (0.77–2.02), and 1.57 (1.24–1.98) in models adjusted multifactorially, and 1.79 (1.16–2.87), 1.18 (0.73–1.92), and 1.46 (1.10–1.95) in models adjusted multifactorially and additionally for apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, respectively. Results were similar after excluding individuals who had an event within 2 years after study entry. Conclusions Moderate hypertriglyceridemia was associated with increased risk of both non-Alzheimer dementia and ischemic stroke, highlighting plasma triglycerides as a shared risk factor between dementia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.