Effects of risk factors on the development and mortality of early- and late-onset dementia: an 11-year longitudinal nationwide population-based cohort study in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Early-onset dementia (EOD, onset age < 65) and late-onset dementia (LOD, onset age ≥ 65) exhibit distinct features. Understanding the risk factors for dementia development and mortality in EOD and LOD respectively is crucial for personalized care. While risk factors are known for LOD development and mortality, their impact on EOD remains unclear. We aimed to investigate how hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, atrial fibrillation, and osteoporosis influence the development and mortality of EOD and LOD, respectively. METHODS: Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database, we collected 546,709 dementia-free individuals and followed up for 11 years. In the two study groups, the Younger group (< 65 years old) and the Older group (≥ 65 years old), we applied Cox proportional hazard models to assess risk factors for development of EOD and LOD, respectively. Then, we assessed risk factors for mortality among EOD and LOD. RESULTS: Diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis increased the risk of EOD and LOD development. Hypertension increased the risk of EOD, while atrial fibrillation increased the risk of LOD. Conversely, hyperlipidemia exhibited a protective effect against LOD development. Additionally, diabetes mellitus increased mortality in EOD and LOD. Hypertension and atrial fibrillation increased mortality in LOD, while hyperlipidemia decreased mortality in EOD and LOD. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors influencing dementia development and mortality differed in EOD and LOD. Targeted public health interventions addressing age-related risk factors may reduce dementia incidence and mortality.

Association of midlife body-weight variability and cycles with earlier dementia onset: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Given the rising awareness of health-related lifestyle modifications, the impact of changes in body weight (BW) on cognitive function and dementia generates significant concern. This study aimed to investigate the association between BW changes and dementia in a middle-aged Korean population. METHODS: A retrospective, population-based longitudinal study was conducted utilizing data from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database. Participants aged 40 years or older in 2011 who underwent at least five health checkups between 2002 and 2011 were followed-up for dementia until 2020. A total of 3,635,988 dementia-free Korean aged < 65 at baseline were examined. We analyzed the association between BW variability independent of the mean (VIM) with BW cycle, defined as either an upward or a downward direction of BW, and the risk of incident dementia. RESULTS: The results showed an increased risk of dementia in the highest quartile of VIM quartile (hazard ratio [HR] 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47-1.58) compared to the lowest quartile of VIM. Additionally, the results showed an even higher increased risk of dementia in the highest BW cycle (≥ 2 cycles of 10% BW = HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.74-1.29). Notably, the combined concept of VIM with BW cycle showed an even higher dementia risk (highest quartile of VIM with ≥ 2 cycles of 10% BW = HR 2.37, 95% CI 2.05-2.74) compared to the baseline group (lowest quartile of VIM with < 3% BW cycle). CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights the importance of considering BW changes with BW variability along with the BW cycle to assess dementia risk in detail, providing valuable insights for preventive strategies.

Epidemiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents: A 50-year, single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Global variations in epidemiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) exist. This study is designed to examine demographic and clinical features of T1DM over the past 3 decades as well as evolving trends in epidemiology over last 50 years. METHODS: Clinical characteristics of 925 patients with T1DM over last 30 years (1990-2019) were evaluated and compared to previously published data of 477 patients diagnosed between 1969 and 1990 from one of the major referral centers for diabetes in Turkey. RESULTS: Mean age at diagnosis decreased from 9.5 ± 4.0 to 7.1 ± 3.6 years within the past 50 years (p < .001). Age at diagnosis peaked at 12-14 years between 1969 and 1990, then fell to 10-11.9 years between 1990 and 1999, and to 4-5.9 years between 2000-2009 and 2010-2019 (p = .005). Although the percentage of patients diagnosed <6 years of age is gradually increasing, the percentage between the ages of 6 and 11.9 years is decreasing, and the percentage diagnosed ≥12 years remained stable. A total of 47.5% of patients had ketoacidosis, 38.2% had ketosis, and 14.3% had only hyperglycemia. 23% of patients had severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), whereas 42% had moderate. Over last 3 decades, there has been no change in frequency of ketoacidosis at presentation, but there has been significant decline in severity (p = .865, and p < .001, respectively). Although the frequency of patients with mild DKA increased over time, frequency of patients with moderate DKA decreased; however, no significant difference was observed among patients with severe ketoacidosis. DKA was more frequent and severe in patients <6 years of age (p = .005, and p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Age at diagnosis shifted to younger ages in T1DM in the past 50 years. Half of patients had ketoacidosis at diagnosis and frequency of presentation with DKA did not decrease, but severity decreased slightly. Increase in prevalence of T1DM in the younger age group and the fact that half of patients present with DKA indicate that awareness should be increased in terms of early diagnosis and treatment.

Endocrine health in survivors of adult-onset cancer.

Long-term survivors of cancer (ie, the patient who is considered cured or for whom the disease is under long-term control and unlikely to recur) are at an increased risk of developing endocrine complications such as hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunctions, hypogonadisms, osteoporosis, or metabolic disorders, particularly when intensive tumour-directed therapies are applied. Symptom severity associated with these conditions ranges from mild and subclinical to highly detrimental, affecting individual health and quality of life. Although they are usually manageable, many of these endocrine pathologies remain underdiagnosed and untreated for years. To address this challenge, a higher degree of awareness, standardised screening tools, comprehensible treatment algorithms, and a close collaborative effort between endocrinologists and oncologists are essential to early identify patients who are at risk, and to implement appropriate treatment protocols. This Review highlights common symptoms and conditions related to endocrine disorders among survivors of adult-onset cancer, provides a summary of the currently available practice guidelines, and proposes a practical approach to diagnose affected patients among this group.

Periodontitis, Dental Procedures, and Young-Onset Cryptogenic Stroke.

Periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, and the risk may be particularly high among young people with unexplained stroke etiology. Thus, we investigated in a case-control study whether periodontitis or recent invasive dental treatments are associated with young-onset cryptogenic ischemic stroke (CIS). We enrolled participants from a multicenter case-control SECRETO study including adults aged 18 to 49 y presenting with an imaging-positive first-ever CIS and stroke-free age- and sex-matched controls. Thorough clinical and radiographic oral examination was performed. Furthermore, we measured serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and lipotechoic acid (LTA) levels. Multivariate conditional regression models were adjusted for stroke risk factors, regular dentist visits, and patent foramen ovale (PFO) status. We enrolled 146 case-control pairs (median age 41.9 y; 58.2% males). Periodontitis was diagnosed in 27.5% of CIS patients and 20.1% of controls (P < 0.001). In the fully adjusted models, CIS was associated with high periodontal inflammation burden (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval) with an OR of 10.48 (3.18-34.5) and severe periodontitis with an OR of 7.48 (1.24-44.9). Stroke severity increased with the severity of periodontitis, having an OR of 6.43 (1.87-23.0) in stage III to IV, grade C. Invasive dental treatments performed within 3 mo prestroke were associated with CIS, with an OR of 2.54 (1.01-6.39). Association between CIS and invasive dental treatments was especially strong among those with PFO showing an OR of 6.26 (1.72-40.2). LPS/LTA did not differ between CIS patients and controls but displayed an increasing trend with periodontitis severity. Periodontitis and recent invasive dental procedures were associated with CIS after controlling for multiple confounders. However, the role of bacteremia as a mediator of this risk was not confirmed.

Symptom Burden and Time from Symptom Onset to Cancer Diagnosis in Patients with Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Analysis.

Background: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) is decreasing in individuals >50 years due to organised screening but has increased for younger individuals. We characterized symptoms and their timing before diagnosis in young individuals. Methods: We identified all patients diagnosed with CRC between 1990-2017 in British Columbia, Canada. Individuals <50 years (n = 2544, EoCRC) and a matched cohort >50 (n = 2570, LoCRC) underwent chart review to identify CRC related symptoms at diagnosis and determine time from symptom onset to diagnosis. Results: Across all stages of CRC, EoCRC presented with significantly more symptoms than LoCRC (Stage 1 mean ± SD: 1.3 ± 0.9 vs. 0.7 ± 0.9, p = 0.0008; Stage 4: 3.3 ± 1.5 vs. 2.3 ± 1.7, p < 0.0001). Greater symptom burden at diagnosis was associated with worse survival in both EoCRC (p < 0.0001) and LoCRC (p < 0.0001). When controlling for cancer stage, both age (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.8-1.0, p = 0.008) and increasing symptom number were independently associated with worse survival in multivariate models. Conclusions: Patients with EoCRC present with a greater number of symptoms of longer duration than LoCRC; however, time from patient reported symptom onset was not associated with worse outcomes.

Familial aggregation and heritability of childhood-onset and adult-onset type 1 diabetes: a Swedish register-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Type 1 diabetes in children is known to be highly heritable, but much less is known about the heritability of adult-onset type 1 diabetes. Thus, our objective was to compare the familial aggregation and heritability of type 1 diabetes in adults and children. METHODS: This Swedish nationwide register-based cohort study included individuals born from Jan 1, 1982, to Dec 31, 2010, identified through the Medical Birth Register who were linked to their parents, full siblings, half siblings, and cousins through the Multi-Generation Register (MGR). We excluded multiple births, deaths within the first month of life, individuals who could not be linked to MGR, or individuals with contradictory information on sex. Information on diagnoses of type 1 diabetes was retrieved by linkages to the National Diabetes Register and National Patient Register (1982-2020). Individuals with inconsistent records of diabetes type were excluded. We estimated the cumulative incidence and hazard ratios (HRs) of type 1 diabetes in adults (aged 19-30 years) and children (aged 0-18 years) by family history of type 1 diabetes and the heritability of adult-onset and childhood-onset type 1 diabetes based on tetrachoric correlations, using sibling pairs. FINDINGS: 2 943 832 individuals were born in Sweden during the study period, 2 832 755 individuals were included in the analysis of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes and 1 805 826 individuals were included in the analysis of adult-onset type 1 diabetes. 3240 cases of adult-onset type 1 diabetes (median onset age 23·4 years [IQR 21·1-26·2]; 1936 [59·7%] male and 1304 [40·2%] female) and 17 914 cases of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (median onset age 9·8 years [6·2-13·3]; 9819 [54·8%] male and 8095 [45·2%] female) developed during follow-up. Having a first-degree relative with type 1 diabetes conferred an HR of 7·21 (95% CI 6·28-8·28) for adult-onset type 1 diabetes and 9·92 (9·38-10·50) for childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. The HR of developing type 1 diabetes before the age 30 years was smaller if a first-degree relative developed type 1 diabetes during adulthood (6·68 [6·04-7·39]) rather than during childhood (10·54 [9·92-11·19]). Similar findings were observed for type 1 diabetes in other relatives. Heritability was lower for adult-onset type 1 diabetes (0·56 [0·45-0·66]) than childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (0·81 [0·77-0·85]). INTERPRETATION: Adult-onset type 1 diabetes seems to have weaker familial aggregation and lower heritability than childhood-onset type 1 diabetes. This finding suggests a larger contribution of environmental factors to the development of type 1 diabetes in adults than in children and highlights the need to identify and intervene on such factors. FUNDING: Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, Swedish Diabetes Foundation, and the China Scholarship Council.

Estimating the effect of lipid-lowering agents on novel subtypes of adult-onset diabetes.

AIMS: The aims of the present study were to assess the effects of lipid-lowering drugs [HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors, and Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1 (NPC1L1) inhibitors] on novel subtypes of adult-onset diabetes through a Mendelian randomisation study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We first inferred causal associations between lipid-related traits [including high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), apolipoproteins A-I, and apolipoproteins B] and novel subtypes of adult-onset diabetes. The expression quantitative trait loci of drug target genes for three classes of lipid-lowering drugs, as well as genetic variants within or nearby drug target genes associated with LDL-C, were then utilised as proxies for the exposure of lipid-lowering drugs. Mendelian randomisation analysis was performed using summary data from genome-wide association studies of LDL-C, severe autoimmune diabetes, severe insulin-deficient diabetes (SIDD), severe insulin-resistant diabetes (SIRD), mild obesity-related diabetes (MOD), and mild age-related diabetes. RESULTS: There was an association between HMGCR-mediated LDL-C and the risk of SIRD [odds ratio (OR) = 0.305, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.129-0.723; p = 0.007], and there was an association of PCSK9-mediated LDL-C with the risk of SIDD (OR = 0.253, 95% CI = 0.120-0.532; p < 0.001) and MOD (OR = 0.345, 95% CI = 0.171-0.696; p = 0.003). Moreover, NPC1L1-mediated LDL-C (OR = 0.109, 95% CI = 0.019-0.613; p = 0.012) and the increased expression of NPC1L1 gene in blood (OR = 0.727, 95% CI = 0.541-0.977; p = 0.034) both showed a significant association with SIRD. These results were further confirmed by sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the different lipid-lowering medications have a specific effect on the increased risk of different novel subtypes of adult-onset diabetes.

Psoriasis dermatitis: a new entity or a different phenotypic expression of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis?

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis (P) and atopic dermatitis (AD) share some common characteristics. The resulting clinical picture with shared manifestations is a new entity called psoriasis dermatitis (PD), atopic psoriasis or psorema. The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical manifestations of this new dermatological condition, focusing on the adult population. METHODS: We recruited adult patients from two outpatient clinics, the "severe psoriasis" and the "adult atopic dermatitis," between January 1st, 2021, and December 31st, 2021. The 26 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were followed for 12 months, and two control groups of patients were enrolled in the same period. RESULTS: The frequencies of the variables examined within the patients affected by PD were compared with those of P or AD group. The age at disease onset was significantly higher in PD patients and the duration of symptoms was also significantly lower in PD patients, compared to both P and AD groups. Affected areas were similar between PD and P, instead the scalp, feet and genitals were more frequently involved in the PD group than in the AD group. CONCLUSIONS: P and AD seem part of a spectrum rather than a dichotomy, where PD is an entity in the middle of this spectrum.

Genomic landscape of diploid and aneuploid microsatellite stable early onset colorectal cancer.

Although colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, the overall incidence and mortality from the disease have declined in recent decades. In contrast, there has been a steady increase in the incidence of CRC in individuals under 50 years of age. Hereditary syndromes contribute disproportionately to early onset CRC (EOCRC). These include microsatellite instability high (MSI+) tumors arising in patients with Lynch Syndrome. However, most EOCRCs are not associated with familial syndromes or MSI+ genotypes. Comprehensive genomic profiling has provided the basis of improved more personalized treatments for older CRC patients. However, less is known about the basis of sporadic EOCRC. To define the genomic landscape of EOCRC we used DNA content flow sorting to isolate diploid and aneuploid tumor fractions from 21 non-hereditary cases. We then generated whole exome mutational profiles for each case and whole genome copy number, telomere length, and EGFR immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses on subsets of samples. These results discriminate the molecular features of diploid and aneuploid EOCRC and provide a basis for larger population-based studies and the development of effective strategies to monitor and treat this emerging disease.

Familial occurrence of seizure disorders across MRI defined structural focal epilepsy etiology.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have established familial occurrence of epilepsy and seizure disorders and early age of epilepsy onset as predictors of genetic epilepsy, but have not evaluated the rate of their occurrence in patients with different epilepsy etiology. Our study determines the distribution of familial occurrence and age of epilepsy onset across structural focal epilepsy (FE) etiology in a large FE cohort. METHODS: Records of 1354 consecutive patients evaluated for epilepsy and seizure disorders in The Neurology Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia from 2008 to 2019 were screened for FE. Structural etiology, lobar diagnosis, familial occurrence, and age at epilepsy onset were determined. Patients with a. nonlesional focal epilepsy (NLFE), b. hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and c. congenital or perinatal etiology (CPE) were classified as NAFE, while patients with an identified acquired focal epilepsy (AFE) constituted the control group. RESULTS: We identified 965 patients with FE, 329 (34.1 %) with NLFE, 213 (22.1 %) with HS, 174 (18.0 %) with CPE and 249 (25.8 %) with AFE. Familial occurrence was identified in 160 (16.6 %), 19.1 % of patients with NAFE and 9.2 % of AFE (p = 0.003). Patients with NAFE had a younger age of epilepsy onset (13 vs. 18 years, p < 0.001). The highest proportion of familial occurrence was found in patients with NLFE (23.7 %), while the youngest median age of epilepsy onset was identified in patients with HS (12 years) and CPE (11 years). CONCLUSION: Patients with NAFE frequently have familial occurrence of epilepsy and have an earlier age of epilepsy onset than patients with AFE.

First validation of the childhood lupus low disease activity state (cLLDAS) definition in a real-life longitudinal cSLE cohort.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the childhood lupus low disease activity state (cLLDAS) definition in cSLE by describing differences in time to reach first adult LLDAS (aLLDAS) versus cLLDAS. Secondly, to analyse positive and negative predictors for maintaining cLLDAS for at least 50% of follow-up time (cLLDAS-50) and for the occurrence of damage. METHODS: Prospective longitudinal data from a cSLE cohort were analysed. Used definitions were: aLLDAS according to Franklyn, cLLDAS by cSLE treat-to-target (T2T) Task Force, disease activity score by SLEDAI -2 K and damage by SLICC damage index. RESULTS: Fifty cSLE patients were studied, with a median follow-up of 3.1 years. Each patient reached aLLDAS and cLLDAS at least once. Mean time to reach first aLLDAS/cLLDAS was 8.2/9.0 months, respectively. For 22/42 patients the mean steroid-dose related delay to reach first cLLDAS was 6.2 months. 58% of patients were able to maintain cLLDAS-50. Time to first cLLDAS (OR 0.8, p = 0.013) and higher number of flares (OR 0.374, p = 0.03) were negative predictors to maintain cLLDAS-50. Damage occurred in 34% of patients (23.5% steroid-related), in 64.7% within one year after diagnosis. African/Afro-Caribbean ethnicity, neuropsychiatric involvement and ever use of a biologic were significant predictors for damage. CONCLUSION: Time to reach cLLDAS in cSLE differs from time to (a)LLDAS, which validates the new cLLDAS definition. Attaining cLLDAS-50 was difficult in real-life. This cohort shows the high risk for early damage in cSLE. T2T with earlier focus on steroid-tapering and starting steroid-sparing drugs seems important to prevent (steroid-related) damage in cSLE.

Disease-Modifying Drugs for Adult-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis.

This article summarizes a 2022 clinical practice guideline on the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for adults with rheumatoid arthritis from the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).

Study on symptom dimensions and clinical characteristics in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the symptom dimensions and clinical characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the context of Chinese culture. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, the distribution of symptoms, and symptom scores of 263 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Symptoms Checklist. System cluster analysis and Pearson analysis were performed to explore the relationships between the main clinical characteristics and symptom dimensions. RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified four symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder: (1) symmetry precision; (2) contamination cleaning; (3) aggression examination; and (4) taboo thinking. The symmetry precision dimension showed an association with years of education. The compulsive score, total Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score, contamination cleaning dimension, and aggression examination dimension had significant relationships. Age, age at onset, obsessive score, and compulsive score had a significant correlation with the taboo-thinking dimension. CONCLUSION: The symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder in China are similar to those in other regions. Each of the four symptom dimensions had distinct clinical characteristics.

Early childhood-onset rumination syndrome is clinically distinct from adolescent-onset rumination syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Rumination syndrome (RS) beginning in early childhood or infancy is understudied and challenging to treat. Our objective is to compare the characteristics and outcomes of early-onset (EO) and adolescent-onset (AO) patients with RS. METHODS: We conducted an ambidirectional cohort study of children diagnosed with RS at our institution. Patients were included in two groups: EO (RS symptom onset ≤5 years and diagnosis ≤12 years) and AO (onset >12 years). Patient characteristics, severity, and outcomes were compared between the groups. RESULTS: We included 49 EO and 52 AO RS patients. The median ages of symptom onset and diagnosis in EO were 3.5 and 6 years, respectively; AO, 14.5 and 15 years. EO RS had a slight male predominance while AO was predominantly female (p = 0.016). EO patients were more likely to have developmental delay (24% vs. 8%, p = 0.029) and less likely to have depression (0% vs. 23%, p < 0.001) or anxiety (14% vs. 40%, p = 0.004). At baseline, EO RS was less severe than AO RS: EO RS had greater regurgitation frequency (p < 0.001) but lower vomiting frequency (p = 0.001), resulting in less meal skipping (p < 0.001), reliance on tube feeding or parenteral nutrition (p < 0.001), and weight loss (p = 0.035). EO RS symptoms improved over time: at follow-up, patients had lower regurgitation (p < 0.001) and vomiting frequency (p < 0.001) compared to baseline. CONCLUSION: EO RS is clinically distinct from AO RS, with differences in sex distribution, comorbid conditions, and severity of initial presentation. The pathogenesis and natural history of EO RS may be distinct from that of AO RS.

Comparison of late-onset and non-late-onset systemic lupus erythematosus individuals in a real-world electronic health record cohort.

Objective: Late-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (LO-SLE) is defined as SLE diagnosed at age 50 years or later. Current studies on LO-SLE are small and have conflicting results.Methods: Using a large, electronic health record (EHR)-based cohort of SLE individuals, we compared demographics, disease characteristics, SLE-specific antibodies, and medication prescribing practices in LO (n = 123) vs. NLO-SLE (n = 402) individuals.Results: The median age (interquartile range) at SLE diagnosis was 60 (56-67) years for LO-SLE and 28 (20-38) years for NLO-SLE. Both groups were predominantly female (85% vs. 91%, p = 0.10). LO-SLE individuals were more likely to be White than NLO-SLE individuals (74% vs. 60%, p = 0.005) and less likely to have positive dsDNA (39% vs. 58%, p = 0.001) and RNP (17% vs. 32%, p = 0.02) with no differences in Smith, SSA, and SSB. Autoantibody positivity declined with increasing age at SLE diagnosis. LO-SLE individuals were less likely to develop SLE nephritis (9% vs. 29%, p < 0.001) and less likely to be prescribed multiple classes of SLE medications including antimalarials (90% vs. 95%, p = 0.04), azathioprine (17% vs. 31%, p = 0.002), mycophenolate mofetil (12% vs. 38%, p < 0.001), and belimumab (2% vs. 8%, p = 0.02).Conclusion: LO-SLE individuals may be less likely to fit an expected course for SLE with less frequent positive autoantibodies at diagnosis and lower rates of nephritis, even after adjusting for race. Understanding how age impacts SLE disease presentation could help reduce diagnostic delays in SLE.

Age of onset, motivation, and anxiety as predictors of grammar and vocabulary outcomes in English as a foreign language learners with developmental language disorder.

INTRODUCTION: Like children with typical language development, their peers with developmental language disorder (DLD) are expected to learn English as a foreign language (EFL). For pupils without DLD, it is well-established that amount of informal exposure to English outside of the classroom, starting age of EFL instruction and motivation are strong positive predictors of EFL learning rate and/or achievement, whereas anxiety is negatively related to performance. This paper is the first attempt to investigate how these predictors of EFL performance operate in learners with DLD. METHODS: Participants were nineteen Dutch-speaking 7th graders with DLD learning English as a school subject at a specialist education facility in the Netherlands. English receptive grammar and receptive vocabulary were measured twice, with a four-month interval. Foreign language learning motivation, anxiety and (length and amount of) informal exposure to and instruction in English were measured via questionnaires. RESULTS: The participants did not show any progress on English vocabulary and grammar. At Time 1, vocabulary and grammar scores were positively related to starting age of EFL instruction and negatively related to anxiety. For vocabulary, achievement was also positively predicted by attitudes towards English lessons. Only the relationship between starting age of instruction and vocabulary outcomes was visible at Time 2. Amount and length of informal exposure to English did not predict performance, which is in stark contrast to the patterns observed in EFL learners with typical language development. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that children with DLD benefit from a later onset of foreign language lessons, whereas length and amount of out-of-school exposure to English are less important in the context of DLD, possibly due to difficulty with implicit learning.