Association between coronary artery atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease pathology: preliminary results
Maristella Yahagi‐Estevam, Daniela Souza Farias‐Itao, Lea T. Grinberg, Renata Elaine Paraizo Leite, Roberta Diehl Rodriguez, Vitor Ribeiro Paes, Carlos Augusto Pasquallucci, Ricardo Nitrini, Wilson Jacob‐Filho, Claudia Kimie Suemoto- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Neurology (clinical)
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Health Policy
- Epidemiology
Abstract
Background
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Dementia is also among the ten most common causes of mortality, and it is one of the main causes of disability in older people. However, the association of direct morphometric percentage of obstruction in coronary arteries with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) type‐pathology remains unclear. We investigated the association of the percentage of obstruction of coronary arteries with AD type‐pathology.
Method
The heart and brain of participants 50 years or older, who underwent full‐body autopsy were collected. The main coronary arteries were dissected and the region with the largest luminal narrowing or with unstable plaques were sampled. The percentage of obstruction was calculated using the lumen and internal elastic lamina areas. The dependent variable was defined by the presence of at least moderate AD‐type pathology (Braak≥3 and CERAD≥B), according to the Braak staging for neurofibrillary tangles, and CERAD for neuritic plaques. Regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors, with robust standard error to account for repeated measures in the same individual.
Result
The sample included 193 participants (mean age = 75±12 years old, 56% men, and 70% white). The percentage of obstruction of coronary arteries was not associated with the neuropathological diagnosis of AD (OR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.99; 1.01, p = 0.52), Braak staging (β = ‐0.002, 95% CI = ‐0.009;0.003, p = 0.36) or CERAD (β = ‐0.0002; 95% CI = ‐0.005;0.004, p = 0.93).
Conclusion
There is no association between coronary artery obstruction and AD type‐pathology in this autopsy study with morphometric measurements of atherosclerosis.