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Pulmonary disease badociated with dementia later in life & nbsp | & nbspPhoto Photo: & nbspThinkstock
Washington DC: According to a recent study, middle-aged lung disease may be a risk factor for dementia or cognitive impairment later in life. The findings were published in the American Journal of Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care Medicine.
Pamela L Lutsey, senior author of the Faculty of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, and a group of researchers report the presence of both restrictive and obstructive lung diseases. dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. The link was stronger for restrictive lung diseases, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis, than for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
"Prevention of dementia is a public health priority, and previous studies have suggested that poor lung health, which can often be avoided, may be badociated with an increased risk of developing dementia", said Dr. Lutsey.
"In this study, we examined the long-term badociation between poor lung function and the risk of developing dementia, using high quality measurements," added the author.
The study found that compared to people without lung disease, the odds of dementia or mild cognitive impairment were:
– 58 percent higher in people with restrictive lung disease. [19659004] – 33 percent more in people with obstructive pulmonary disease
The study also found that the results of two spirometry tests were low: forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) ) – badociates ed with dementia. FEV1 is the amount of air that a person can force out in one second. FVC is a measure of lung size.
According to the authors, these results could be explained by the fact that a lung disease produced low levels of oxygen in the blood, which could have resulted in inflammation, stress and symptoms. lesions of the blood vessels of the brain. 19659004] The limitations of the study included the fact that participants' lung function was badessed only at the beginning of the study and that many patients died before being evaluated for dementia or cognitive impairment.
Since it was not a randomized controlled trial, the study can not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between lung disease and dementia or cognitive impairment lightly.
If these badociations are causal, the researchers write, this would strengthen efforts to improve the quality of the air and help people quit smoking. These public health measures could also reduce dementia rates and lung disease.
"The prevention of lung disease is inherently important," said Dr. Lutsey, adding that while other studies confirm the findings of their study, "individuals and policymakers have an additional incentive to make changes that protect lung health, as it may also prevent dementia. "
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