Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31753200›Full record

Observational studyJournal of the American College of Cardiology2019

Effects of Statins on Memory, Cognition, and Brain Volume in the Elderly.

Katherine Samaras, Steve R Makkar, John D Crawford, Nicole A Kochan, Melissa J Slavin, Wei Wen, Julian N Trollor, Henry Brodaty, Perminder S Sachdev

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 44 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
44citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

44 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Katherine SamarasDepartment of Endocrinology, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Diabetes and Metabolism, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: k.samaras@garvan.org.au.
Steve R MakkarCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
John D CrawfordCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Nicole A KochanCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Melissa J SlavinCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Wei WenCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Julian N TrollorCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Henry BrodatyCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Perminder S SachdevCentre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Dementia Collaborative Research Centre, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Neuropsychiatric Institute, Euroa Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere is widespread consumer concern that statin use may be associated with impaired memory and cognitive decline.

objectivesThis study sought to examine the association between statin use and changes in memory and global cognition in the elderly population over 6 years and brain volumes over 2 years. Interactions between statin use and known dementia risk factors were examined.

methodsProspective observational study of community-dwelling elderly Australians age 70 to 90 years (the MAS [Sydney Memory and Ageing Study], n = 1,037). Outcome measures were memory and global cognition (by neuropsychological testing every 2 years) and total brain, hippocampal and parahippocampal volumes (by magnetic resonance) in a subgroup (n = 526). Analyses applied linear mixed modeling, including the covariates of age, sex, education, body mass index, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, smoking, and apolipoprotein Eε4 carriage. Interactions were sought between statin use and dementia risk factors.

resultsOver 6 years there was no difference in the rate of decline in memory or global cognition between statin users and never users. Statin initiation during the observation period was associated with blunting the rate of memory decline. Exploratory analyses found statin use was associated with attenuated decline in specific memory test performance in participants with heart disease and apolipoprotein Eε4 carriage. There was no difference in brain volume changes between statin users and never users.

conclusionsIn community-dwelling elderly Australians, statin therapy was not associated with any greater decline in memory or cognition over 6 years. These data are reassuring for consumers concerned about statin use and risk of memory decline.

Indexed as

AgedAged, 80 and overBrainCognitionFemaleHumansHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase InhibitorsLongitudinal StudiesMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMemoryOrgan SizeHydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitorsbraincognitiondementiahydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitorsmemorystatins

Identifiers

PMID31753200

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.