Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31306123›Full record

SynthesisJournal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD2019

A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses that Evaluate Risk Factors for Dementia to Evaluate the Quantity, Quality, and Global Representativeness of Evidence.

Kaarin J Anstey, Nicole Ee, Ranmalee Eramudugolla, Carol Jagger, Ruth Peters

Open access · bronzeAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 109 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
109citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
12.3field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

109 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 182 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Guideline
  6. Pooled it
  7. Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Pooled it
  12. Trial
  13. Trial
  14. Trial
  15. Associations of dementia polyexposure scores to Alzheimer's disease endophenotypes in a diverse population.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2026
    Article
  16. Modulation of miR-23b Wnt/β-catenin Axis Strengthens Endothelial Barrier Properties.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Review

49 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Kaarin J AnsteySchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Nicole EeSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ranmalee EramudugollaNeuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Carol JaggerNewcastle Institute for Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK.
Ruth PetersSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
UNSW Sydney · AUNeuroscience Research Australia · AUNewcastle Hospitals - Campus for Ageing and Vitality · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G0500997Medical Research Council MR/J50001X/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe translation of evidence on dementia risk factors into clinical advice requires careful evaluation of the methodology and scope of data from which risk estimates are obtained.

objectiveTo evaluate the quantity, quality, and representativeness of evidence, we conducted a review of reviews of risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD), Vascular dementia (VaD), and Any Dementia.

methodsPubMed, Cochrane library, and the Global Index Medicus were searched to identify meta-analyses of observational studies of risk factors for AD, VaD, and Any Dementia. PROSPERO CRD42017053920.

resultsMeta-analysis data were available for 34 risk factors for AD, 26 risk factors for Any Dementia and eight for VaD. Quality of evidence varied greatly in terms of the number of contributing studies, whether data on midlife exposure was available, and consistency of measures. The most evidence was available for cardiovascular risk factors. The most geographically representative evidence (five of six global regions) was available for alcohol, physical activity, diabetes, high midlife BMI, antihypertensives, and motor function. Evidence from Australia/Oceana or Africa was limited. With the exception of diabetes, meta-analysis data were unavailable from Latin America/Caribbean. Midlife specific data were only available for cholesterol and arthritis.

conclusionThere is a lack of midlife specific data, limited data on VaD, and a lack of geographical representation for many risk factors for dementia. The quality, quantity, and representativeness of evidence needs to be considered before recommendations are made about the relevance of risk factors in mid- or late-life or for dementia subtypes.

Indexed as

DementiaHumansRisk FactorsAlzheimer’s diseasecohort studiesmeta-analysispreventionrisk factorvascular dementia

Identifiers

PMID31306123
PMCPMC6700718
OpenAlexW2957844664

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.