High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T and Cognitive Function in the Oldest Old: The Leiden 85-Plus Study

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bertens, Anne Suzanne^{a; b; *} | Sabayan, Behnam^{b; c} | de Craen, Anton J.M.^{b; 1} | Van der Mast, Roos C.^{d; e} | Gussekloo, Jacobijn^{b; f}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands | [b] Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands | [c] Departments of Medicine and Neurology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA | [d] Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands | [e] Department of Psychiatry, CAPRI-University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium | [f] Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Anne Suzanne Bertens, MD, Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, C-02-S, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 71 5265948; Fax: +31 71 5248256; E-mail: fbard@its.jnj.com..

Note: [1] Dr. Anton J.M. de Craen passed away in January 2016.

Abstract: Background:Impaired cardiac function has been related to accelerated cognitive decline in late-life. Objective:To investigate whether higher levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), a sensitive marker for myocardial injury, are associated with worse cognitive function in the oldest old. Methods:In 455 participants of the population-based Leiden 85-plus Study, hs-cTnT was measured at 86 years. Cognitive function was measured annually during four years with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results:Participants in the highest gender-specific tertile of hs-cTnT had a 2.0-point lower baseline MMSE score than participants in the lowest tertile (95% confidence interval (CI) (95% CI 0.73–3.3), and had a 0.58-point steeper annual decline in MMSE during follow-up (95% CI 0.06–1.1). The associations remained after adjusting for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors excluding those without a history of overt cardiac disease. Conclusion:In a population-based sample of the oldest old, higher levels of hs-cTnT were associated with worse cognitive function and faster cognitive decline, independently from cardiovascular risk factors and a history of overt cardiac disease.

Keywords: Cardiac disease, cognitive function, high sensitivity cardiac troponin T, oldest old

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-170171

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 235-242, 2017