Sex differences in dementia risk and risk factors: Individual-participant data analysis using 21 cohorts across six continents from the COSMIC consortium

J. Gong*, K. Harris, D.M. Lipnicki, E. Castro-Costa, M.F. Lima-Costa, B.S. Diniz, S.F. Xiao, R.B. Lipton, M.J. Katz, C.L. Wang, P.M. Preux, M. Guerchet, A. Gbessemehlan, K. Ritchie, M.L. Ancelin, I. Skoog, J. Najar, T.R. Sterner, N. Scarmeas, M. YannakouliaM.H. Kosmidis, A. Guaita, E. Rolandi, A. Davin, O. Gureje, S. Trompet, J. Gussekloo, S. Riedel-Heller, A. Pabst, S. Rohr, S. Shahar, D.K.A. Singh, N.F.M. Rivan, M. van Boxtel, S. Kohler, M. Ganguli, C.C. Chang, E. Jacobsen, M. Haan, D. Ding, Q.H. Zhao, Z.X. Xiao, K. Narazaki, T. Chen, S.M. Chen, T.P. Ng, X. Gwee, K. Numbers, K.A. Mather, M. Scazufca, Cohort Studies of Memory in an International Consortium (COSMIC)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

IntroductionSex differences in dementia risk, and risk factor (RF) associations with dementia, remain uncertain across diverse ethno-regional groups. MethodsA total of 29,850 participants (58% women) from 21 cohorts across six continents were included in an individual participant data meta-analysis. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs), and women-to-men ratio of hazard ratios (RHRs) for associations between RFs and all-cause dementia were derived from mixed-effect Cox models. ResultsIncident dementia occurred in 2089 (66% women) participants over 4.6 years (median). Women had higher dementia risk (HR, 1.12 [1.02, 1.23]) than men, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income economies. Associations between longer education and former alcohol use with dementia risk (RHR, 1.01 [1.00, 1.03] per year, and 0.55 [0.38, 0.79], respectively) were stronger for men than women; otherwise, there were no discernible sex differences in other RFs. DiscussionDementia risk was higher in women than men, with possible variations by country-level income settings, but most RFs appear to work similarly in women and men.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3365-3378
Number of pages14
JournalAlzheimer's & Dementia
Volume19
Issue number8
Early online date1 Feb 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2023

Keywords

  • ALZHEIMER-DISEASE INCIDENCE
  • APOLIPOPROTEIN-E GENOTYPE
  • GENDER
  • INCIDENCE RATES
  • MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES
  • POPULATION
  • PREVENTION
  • TIME
  • VASCULAR DEMENTIA
  • WOMEN
  • data harmonization
  • dementia
  • diversity
  • risk factor
  • sex difference

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