Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2009 Sep 22;73(12):920-7.
doi: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181b72629. Epub 2009 Aug 5.

Kidney function is associated with the rate of cognitive decline in the elderly

Aron S Buchman  1 , D Tanne, P A Boyle, R C Shah, S E Leurgans, D A Bennett
Affiliations

Kidney function is associated with the rate of cognitive decline in the elderly

Aron S Buchman et al. Neurology. .

Abstract

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that impaired kidney function in the elderly is associated with a more rapid rate of cognitive decline.

Methods: Baseline serum was used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula, for 886 elderly without dementia participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project, a prospective, observational cohort study. Kidney function was also dichotomized into impairment or no impairment based on eGFR < or >or=60 mL/min/1.73 m(2). Structured cognitive testing was performed at baseline and at annual evaluations, using a battery of 19 cognitive tests summarized into global cognition and 5 cognitive domains.

Results: In mixed-effects models adjusted for age, sex, and education, a lower eGFR at baseline was associated with a more rapid rate of cognitive decline (estimate 0.0008, SE <0.001, p = 0.017). The increased rate of cognitive decline associated with a 15-mL/min/1.73 m(2) lower eGFR at baseline (approximately 1 SD) was similar to the effect of being 3 years older at baseline. Impaired kidney function at baseline was associated with a more rapid rate of cognitive decline (estimate -0.028, SE <0.009, p = 0.003). The increased rate of cognitive decline associated with impaired kidney function at baseline was approximately 75% the effect of ApoE4 allele on the rate of cognitive decline. Baseline kidney function was associated with declines in semantic memory, episodic memory, and working memory but not visuospatial abilities or perceptual speed.

Conclusion: Impaired kidney function is associated with a more rapid rate of cognitive decline in old age.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Zhang QL, Koenig W, Raum E, Stegmaier C, Brenner H, Rothenbacher D. Epidemiology of chronic kidney disease: results from a population of older adults in Germany. Prev Med 2009;48:122–127. - PubMed
    1. Duru OK, Vargas RB, Kermah D, Nissenson AR, Norris KC. High prevalence of stage 3 chronic kidney disease in older adults despite normal serum creatinine. J Gen Intern Med 2009;24:86–92. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Anavekar NS, McMurray JJV, Velazquez EJ, et al. Relation between renal dysfunction and cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 2004;351:1285–1295. - PubMed
    1. Tsagalis G, Akrivos T, Alevizaki M, et al. Renal dysfunction in acute stroke: an independent predictor of long-term all combined vascular events and overall mortality. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2009;24:194–200. - PubMed
    1. Koren-Morag N, Goldbourt U, Tanne D. Renal dysfunction and risk of ischemic stroke or TIA in patients with cardiovascular disease. Neurology 2006;67:224–228. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances