Smoking and Dementia Risk in the Elderly
Author Information
Author(s): Ruth Peters, Ruth Poulter, James Warner, Nigel Beckett, Lisa Burch, Chris Bulpitt
Primary Institution: Imperial College Faculty of Medicine
Hypothesis
Does current smoking increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the elderly?
Conclusion
Current smoking increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease and may also increase the risk of other dementias.
Supporting Evidence
- Five studies found a significant link between current smoking and increased risk of incident dementia.
- Seven studies found a significant link with increased risk of cognitive decline.
- No studies found a significant link between former smoking and incident cognitive decline or dementia.
- Current smokers had a significantly increased risk of Alzheimer's disease with a summary odds ratio of 1.59.
Takeaway
Smoking can make you more likely to get Alzheimer's disease when you get older, so it's important to stop smoking.
Methodology
A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies examining the relationship between smoking and dementia in individuals aged 65 and over.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include self-selection of participants and survival biases due to younger age of death in smokers.
Limitations
The studies varied in quality and design, and there may be biases due to higher mortality rates in smokers.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 65 and over, with studies including diverse populations from North America, China, Australia, and Europe.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0015
Confidence Interval
1.15–2.20
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website