Meta-analysis of Driving Cessation and Dementia: Does Sex Matter?

Objectives: The number of drivers with dementia is expected to increase over the coming decades. Because dementia is associated with a higher risk of crashes, driving cessation becomes inevitable as the disease progresses, but many people with dementia resist stopping to drive. This meta-analysis examines whether there are sex differences in the prevalence and incidence of driving cessation among drivers with dementia and compares the pattern of sex differences in drivers with dementia to those without dementia. Method: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus, and CINAHL were searched in July 2015 for observational studies of sex differences in driving cessation. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model. Results: Twenty studies provided data on sex differences in driving cessation in older adults with or without dementia. Driving cessation was significantly more prevalent in women with dementia than men (odds ratio [OR] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.50-2.98), and the same pattern was found in women without dementia (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 1.85-4.06). Discussion: Our findings suggest that the patterns of driving cessation differ between men and women with dementia, and this may have implications for sex-specific approaches designed to support drivers with dementia both before and after driving cessation.

The association between C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6 and depression among older adults in the community: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous research indicates there may be an association between inflammation and depression in older adults but results are inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of this review was to determine the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of two inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) with depression in older adults. We searched five databases for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies reporting an association between CRP or IL-6 with depression among adults sampled from the community aged 50 or older. We found 32 studies (23 cross-sectional, 7 longitudinal, and 2 assessing both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations) that met eligibility criteria. These studies were entered into a random-effects meta-analysis to determine the cross-sectional association and longitudinal direction of association between both IL-6 and CRP with depression. Results indicated a cross-sectional and longitudinal association between both CRP and IL-6 with depression in older adults, with inflammation leading to depression in longitudinal studies rather than depression to inflammation. However, there was notable heterogeneity between studies as results differed based on adjusting for confounders and on how inflammation and depression were measured. These sources of heterogeneity could explain differences in study results.

Sex differences in the prevalence of genetic mutations in FTD and ALS: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a meta-analysis that investigates sex differences in the prevalence of mutations in the 3 most common genes that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)-chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 (C9orf72), progranulin (GRN), or microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT)-in patients clinically diagnosed with these conditions. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched (inception to June 30, 2016). Studies of patients with FTD or ALS that reported the number of men and women with and without mutations of interest were selected. Female to male pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each mutation were calculated using random-effects models. RESULTS: Thirty-two articles reporting 12,784 patients with ALS (including 1,244 C9orf72 mutation carriers) revealed a higher prevalence of female patients with C9orf72-related ALS (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04-1.29). Twenty-three articles reporting 5,320 patients with FTD (including 488 C9orf72 mutation carriers) revealed no sex differences in C9orf72-related FTD (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.81-1.12). Thirty-six articles reporting 3,857 patients with FTD (including 369 GRN mutation carriers) revealed a higher prevalence of female patients with GRN-related FTD (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.09-1.62). Finally, 21 articles reporting 2,377 patients with FTD (including 215 MAPT mutation carriers) revealed no sex difference in MAPT-related FTD (RR 1.21, 95% CI 0.95-1.55). CONCLUSIONS: Higher female prevalence of C9orf72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions in ALS and GRN mutations in FTD suggest that sex-related risk factors might moderate C9orf72 and GRN-mediated phenotypic expression.

Effect of comorbidities and medications on frequency of primary care visits among older patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if comorbidities and high-risk medications affect the frequency of family physician visits among older patients. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Academic family health team at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ont. PARTICIPANTS: Among patients aged 65 years and older who were registered patients of the family health team between July 1, 2013, and June 30, 2014, the 5% who visited their family physicians most frequently and the 5% who visited their family physicians least frequently were selected for the study (N = 265). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Predictors of frequent visits to family physicians. RESULTS: The significant predictors of being a high-frequency user were female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 2.20, P = .03), age older than 85 years (OR = 5.35, P = .001), and higher total number of medications (OR = 1.49, P < .001). Age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index score, number of Beers criteria medications, and Anticholinergic Risk Scale score were not significant predictors (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Female sex, age older than 85, and higher total number of medications were independent significant predictors of higher frequency of family physician visits among older patients. Validated tools, such as the Charlson comorbidity index, Beers criteria, and Anticholinergic Risk Scale, did not independently predict the frequency of visits, indicating that predicting frequency of visits is likely complex.

Depressive symptoms, prediabetes, and incident diabetes in older English adults.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the risk of diabetes in older adults with elevated depressive symptoms, prediabetes, or both. METHOD: This study included 4129 participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants were followed from Wave 2 (2004-2005) to Wave 6 (2012-2013). The 8-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CESD) scale was used to measure depressive symptoms in the past week, which were categorized as no/low, mild, or high. Normal glucose levels and prediabetes were defined using baseline haemoglobin A1c measurements. Incident diagnosed diabetes was reported by participants. Cox regression estimated hazard ratios of incident diabetes associated with depressive symptoms and prediabetes. RESULTS: A total of 157 participants were diagnosed with diabetes over a mean of 6.7 years. Relative to participants with normal glucose levels and no/low depressive symptoms at baseline, the adjusted hazard ratios were 0.85 (95% CI 0.40-1.82) and 1.62 (95% CI 0.84-3.15) for those with normal glucose levels and mild depressive symptoms and normal glucose levels and high depressive symptoms. The adjusted hazard ratios for participants with prediabetes and no/low depressive symptoms, mild depressive symptoms, and high depressive symptoms were 4.84 (95% CI 3.08-7.60), 7.17 (95% CI 4.00-12.88), and 7.77 (95% CI 4.33-13.93), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with elevated depressive symptoms and prediabetes have an increased risk of diabetes compared to those with only one of these risk factors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Sex differences in the prevalence and incidence of mild cognitive impairment: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: More women have Alzheimer's disease (AD) than men. Understanding sex differences in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may further knowledge of AD etiology and prevention. We conducted a meta-analysis to examine sex differences in the prevalence and incidence of MCI, which included amnestic and non-amnestic subtypes. METHOD: Systematic searches were performed in July 2015 using MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO for population-or community-based studies with MCI data for men and women. Random-effects model were used. RESULTS: Fifty-six studies were included. There were no statistically significant sex differences in prevalence or incidence of amnestic MCI. There was a significantly higher prevalence (p=0.038), but not incidence, of non-amnestic MCI among women. There were no sex differences in studies that combined both subtypes of MCI. CONCLUSION: The only statistically significant finding emerging from this study was that women have a higher prevalence of non-amnestic MCI. To better understand sex differences in the preclinical stages of dementia, studies must better characterize the etiology of the cognitive impairment.

Risk of Diabetes in Older Adults with Co-Occurring Depressive Symptoms and Cardiometabolic Abnormalities: Prospective Analysis from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

High depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities are independently associated with an increased risk of diabetes. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of co-occurring depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities on risk of diabetes in a representative sample of the English population aged 50 years and older. Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The sample comprised of 4454 participants without diabetes at baseline. High depressive symptoms were based on a score of 4 or more on the 8-item binary Centre for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. Cardiometabolic abnormalities were defined as 3 or more cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, impaired glycemic control, systemic inflammation, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high triglycerides, and central obesity). Cox proportional hazards regressions assessed the association between co-occurring depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities with incidence of diabetes. Multiple imputation by chained equations was performed to account for missing data. Covariates included age, sex, education, income, smoking status, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and cardiovascular comorbidity. The follow-up period consisted of 106 months, during which 193 participants reported a diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetes incidence rates were compared across the following four groups: 1) no or low depressive symptoms and no cardiometabolic abnormalities (reference group, n = 2717); 2) high depressive symptoms only (n = 338); 3) cardiometabolic abnormalities only (n = 1180); and 4) high depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities (n = 219). Compared to the reference group, the hazard ratio for diabetes was 1.29 (95% CI 0.63, 2.64) for those with high depressive symptoms only, 3.88 (95% CI 2.77, 5.44) for those with cardiometabolic abnormalities only, and 5.56 (95% CI 3.45, 8.94) for those with both high depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities, after adjusting for socio-demographic, lifestyle and clinical variables. These findings suggest that those with high depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities are at a particularly increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Evaluating lifestyle and health-related characteristics of older adults with co-occurring depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities.

OBJECTIVE: Comorbid depression and cardiometabolic abnormalities might represent an important subgroup of depression. The aim of the present study was to evaluate lifestyle and health-related characteristics of individuals with both depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities. METHODS: Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The sample was comprised of 5365 adults aged 50-80 years. High depressive symptoms were based on the eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression scale. Cardiometabolic abnormalities were defined as having ≥3 cardiometabolic risk factors (hypertension, impaired glycemic control, systemic inflammation, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia, and central obesity). Four groups were created based on Center for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression scores and cardiometabolic abnormalities: those with (i) comorbid depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic abnormalities (DCM); (ii) depressive symptoms only (DnoCM); (iii) cardiometabolic abnormalities only; and (iv) neither depressive symptoms nor cardiometabolic abnormalities. Lifestyle and health-related characteristics of the four groups were compared using chi-square tests. A modified Poisson regression analysis was performed to compare the DCM and the DnoCM groups with respect to lifestyle and health-related characteristics. RESULTS: Those in the DCM group were significantly less physically active (p = 0.003), had poorer self-rated health (p < 0.001), had lower income (p = 0.001), and were more likely to be retired (p < 0.001) than those in the DnoCM group. The pattern of results remained after controlling for other lifestyle and health-related factors. CONCLUSION: These results provide support for a cardiometabolic subgroup of depression that is associated with physical inactivity, poorer self-rated health, lower income, and retirement. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The longitudinal associations between C-reactive protein and depressive symptoms: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

OBJECTIVES: The inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with depression. We examined the directional relations between CRP and symptoms of depression among older adults. METHOD: The sample consisted of 3397 participants from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a prospective study of community-dwelling older adults. CRP and depressive symptoms were measured at baseline and follow-up. A high CRP level was dichotomized as >3 mg/L. Elevated depressive symptomatology was defined as ≥4 using the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Logistic regressions computed the association between high CRP levels at baseline with elevated depressive symptoms at follow-up, and vice versa. RESULTS: After adjusting for baseline depressive symptoms, baseline high CRP levels were associated with subsequent elevated symptoms of depression (OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.19-1.88). This relationship was no longer significant after simultaneous adjustments for metabolic and health variables. In the other direction, after adjusting for baseline CRP levels, baseline elevated depressive symptoms was not associated with subsequent high CRP levels (OR = 1.12; 95% CI, 0.88-1.42). CONCLUSION: High CRP levels at baseline are related to elevated depressive symptomatology at follow-up due to clinical factors. No association was found in the opposite direction.

C-reactive protein, depressive symptoms, and risk of diabetes: results from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

OBJECTIVES: Raised levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory biomarker, and depressive symptoms are both independently linked to risk of diabetes. The purpose of this study was to assess the joint association of CRP and depressive symptomatology with diabetes incidence in a representative sample of English people ≥50 years old. METHOD: Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a prospective study of community-dwelling older adults. The sample was comprised of 4955 participants without self-reported doctor-diagnosed diabetes at baseline. High CRP level was dichotomized as >3 mg/L. Elevated depressive symptomatology was defined as ≥4 using the 8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Incident diabetes was determined based on newly self-reported doctor-diagnosed diabetes. Cox proportional hazard regressions were used to examine the association between CRP and depressive symptoms with incidence of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: During approximately 63.2 months of follow-up, 194 participants reported diabetes diagnosis. After adjustment for socio-demographics, lifestyle behaviors, clinical factors, and BMI, the hazard ratio for diabetes was 1.63 (95% CI 0.88-3.01) for people with elevated depressive symptoms only, 1.43 (95% CI 0.99-2.07) for people with high CRP only, and 2.03 (95% CI 1.14-3.61) for people with both high CRP and elevated depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: The presence of both high CRP levels and elevated depressive symptoms was associated with risk of diabetes. Further investigation into this relationship could aid in understanding the mechanisms underlying inflammation, depression, and diabetes.