Elevated C-reactive protein is related to cognitive decline in older adults with cardiovascular disease.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To prospectively relate C-reactive protein (CRP), a systemic marker of inflammation, to cognitive change over a 1-year follow-up period. DESIGN: Prospective 1-year follow-up. SETTING: Outpatient university medical setting. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-eight adults (aged 56-84; 39% female) with cardiovascular disease. MEASUREMENTS: CRP levels were measured using a high-sensitivity assay, and participants completed a neuropsychological battery at study entry. Neuropsychological assessment was repeated 1 year later. RESULTS: The association between CRP and change in cognition over the 1-year follow-up was examined using hierarchical linear regression modeling for five cognitive domains (global cognition, language, memory, visuospatial abilities, and attention-executive-psychomotor). High CRP levels were associated with subtle declines in attention-executive-psychomotor performance (CRP beta=-0.22, P=.04) after adjusting for the effects of age and cognitive performance at study entry. CRP was not significantly associated with change in language, memory, or visuospatial performance. CONCLUSION: These data provide preliminary evidence that inflammation, potentially contributing to atherosclerotic processes, may underlie the association between high CRP and changes in attention-executive-psychomotor performance.

Author information

Author/s: Hoth, Karin F (KF); Haley, Andreana P (AP); Gunstad, John (J); Paul, Robert H (RH); Poppas, Athena (A); Jefferson, Angela L (AL); Tate, David F (DF); Ono, Makoto (M); Jerskey, Beth A (BA); Cohen, Ronald A (RA);

Affiliation: Department of Medicine, National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, Colorado 80206, USA. hothk(-atsign-)njc.org

Grants: AG017975 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; AG020498 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; AG022773 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; AG026850 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; AG030962 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; F32 AG022773-01 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; F32 AG022773-02 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; HD043444 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS) ; HL074568 (Agency:NHLBI NIH HHS) ; K23 AG030962-01 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; K23 AG030962-02 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; MH065857 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS) ; P30 AG013846-09 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; P30-AG013846 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; R01 AG017975-05 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (J Am Geriatr Soc), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Oct; vol 56 (issue 10) : pp 1898-903

Dates: Created 2008/12/04; Completed 2008/12/24; Revised 2009/11/02;

PMID: 18771451, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/3/2009, IMS Date: )

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