Search

Background: Previous studies have shown a possible association between statin use and a decreased risk of dementia, but the association has not been sufficiently established, especially in the super-aging society of Japan. Objective: This study aimed to determine the association between statin use and the risk of dementia among Japanese participants aged> =65 years old. Methods: Data from the Longevity Improvement and Fair Evidence (LIFE) Study were utilized, including medical and long-term care (LTC) claim data from 17 municipalities between April 2014 and December 2020. A nested case-control study was conducted with one case matched to five controls based on age, sex, municipality, and year of cohort entry. We used a conditional logistic regression model to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: This study included 57,302 cases and 283,525 controls, with 59.7% of the participants being woman. After adjusting for potential confounders, statin use was associated with a lower risk of dementia (OR, 0.70; 95% CI: 0.68–0.73) and Alzheimer's disease (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.63–0.69). Compared with non-users, the ORs of dementia were as follows: 1.42 (1.34–1.50) for 1–30 total standardized daily dose (TSDD), 0.91 (0.85–0.98) for 31–90 TSDD, 0.63 (0.58–0.69) for 91–180 TSDD, and 0.33 (0.31–0.36) for >180 TSDD in dose-analysis. Conclusions: Statin use is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease among older Japanese adults. A low cumulative statin dose is associated with an increased risk of dementia, whereas a high cumulative statin dose is a protective factor against dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This hospital-based, cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between diet and fluctuating intestinal bacteria in early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) (Atopobium parvulum, Actinomyces odontolyticus, Solobacterium moorei, and Bifidobacterium longum). Healthy participants (n = 212) who underwent total colonoscopy at National Cancer Center Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) were divided into two groups according to the relative abundance of bacteria in their feces: those in the top 25% of relative bacterial abundance as cases and the bottom 25% as controls. The participants were divided into three groups (low, medium, and high) according to their intake of food groups associated with CRC. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to estimate the association between dietary intake and higher relative abundance of bacteria. Dairy products were inversely associated with a higher relative abundance of A. parvulum, A. odontolyticus, and S. moorei, with odds ratios (high vs. low) and 95% confidence interval as follows: 0.16 (0.06–0.44), 0.25 (0.08–0.82), and 0.29 (0.11–0.78), respectively. Additionally, dietary fiber was inversely associated with a higher relative abundance of S.moorei (0.29 [0.11–0.78]). No association was observed between diet and B.longum. In conclusion, healthy adults with a higher intake of dairy products and fiber had lower odds of having a higher relative abundance of CRC-associated microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The association between care needs level (CNL) at hospitalisation and postdischarge outcomes in older patients with acute heart failure (aHF) has been insufficiently investigated. Methods This population-based cohort study was conducted using health insurance claims and CNL data of the Longevity Improvement & Fair Evidence study. Patients aged ≥65 years, discharged after hospitalisation for aHF between April 2014 and March 2022, were identified. CNLs at hospitalisation were classified as no care needs (NCN), support level (SL) and CNL1, CNL2–3 and CNL4–5 based on total estimated daily care time as defined by national standard criteria, and varied on an ordinal scale between SL&CNL1 (low level) to CNL4–5 (fully dependent). The primary outcomes were changes in CNL and death 1 year after discharge, assessed by CNL at hospitalisation using Cox proportional hazard models. Results Of the 17 724 patients included, 7540 (42.5%), 4818 (27.2%), 3267 (18.4%) and 2099 (11.8%) had NCN, SL&CNL1, CNL2–3 and CNL4–5, respectively, at hospitalisation. One year after discharge, 4808 (27.1%), 3243 (18.3%), 2968 (16.7%), 2505 (14.1%) and 4200 (23.7%) patients had NCN, SL&CNL1, CNL2–3, CNL4–5 and death, respectively. Almost all patients' CNLs worsened after discharge. Compared to patients with NCN at hospitalisation, patients with SL&CNL1, CNL2–3 and CNL4–5 had an increased risk of all-cause death 1 year after discharge (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.19 [1.09–1.31], 1.88 [1.71–2.06] and 2.56 [2.31–2.84], respectively). Conclusions Older patients with aHF and high CNL at hospitalisation had a high risk of all-cause mortality in the year following discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Several studies have investigated that anticholinergic drugs cause cognitive impairment. However, the risk of dementia associated with anticholinergics has not been extensively investigated in the super‐aging society of Japan. We conducted this study to assess the association between anticholinergic drugs and the risk of dementia in older adults in Japan. Methods: This nested case‐control study used data from the Longevity Improvement & Fair Evidence Study, which includes claim data in Japan from 2014 to 2020. We included 66,478 cases of diagnosed dementia and 328,919 matched controls aged ≥65 years, matched by age, sex, municipality, and cohort entry year. Primary exposure was the total cumulative anticholinergic drugs prescribed from cohort entry date to event date or matched index date, which was the total standardized daily doses for each patient, calculated by adding the total dose of different types of anticholinergic drugs in each prescription, divided by the World Health Organization‐defined daily dose values. Odds ratios for dementia associated with cumulative exposure to anticholinergic drugs were calculated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables. Results: The mean (standard deviation) age at index date was 84.3 (6.9), and the percentage of women was 62.1%. From cohort entry date to event date or matched index date, 18.8% of the case patients and 13.7% of the controls were prescribed at least one anticholinergic drug. In the multivariable‐adjusted model, individuals with anticholinergic drugs prescribed had significantly higher odds of being diagnosed with dementia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.50 [95% confidence interval, 1.47–1.54]). Among specific types of anticholinergic drugs, a significant increase in risk was observed with the use of antidepressants, antiparkinsonian drugs, antipsychotics, and bladder antimuscarinics in a fully multivariable‐adjusted model. Conclusions: Several types of anticholinergic drugs used by older adults in Japan are associated with an increased risk of dementia. These findings suggest that the underlying risks should be considered alongside the benefits of prescribing anticholinergic drugs to this population. Key points: The risk of dementia associated with anticholinergics has not been extensively investigated in the super‐aging society of Japan.This nested case‐control study found a statistically significant association between anticholinergic drug use and the risk of dementia, especially for antipsychotics, antiparkinsonian agents, antidepressants, and bladder antimuscarinics, after adjusting for confounding variables.The prescription of specific types of anticholinergic drugs to older adults should be made with caution due to the associated risk of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]