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Long-term survival in adults 65 years and older with white matter hyperintensity: association with performance on the digit symbol substitution test.

TitleLong-term survival in adults 65 years and older with white matter hyperintensity: association with performance on the digit symbol substitution test.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2013
AuthorsRosano, C, Chang, Y-F, Kuller, LH, Guralnik, JM, Studenski, SA, Aizenstein, HJ, Gianaros, PJ, Lopez, OL, Longstreth, WT, Newman, AB
JournalPsychosom Med
Volume75
Issue7
Pagination624-31
Date Published2013 Sep
ISSN1534-7796
KeywordsAged, Apolipoprotein E4, Biomarkers, Brain, Cardiovascular Diseases, Epidemiologic Methods, Female, Humans, Life Style, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuroimaging, Neuropsychological Tests, Reaction Time, Sex Factors, Stroke, Survivors
Abstract<p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>White matter hyperintensity (WMH) confers increased mortality risk in patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, little is known about differences in survival times among adults 65 years and older who have WMH and live in the community. To characterize the factors that may reduce mortality risk in the presence of WMH, measures of race, sex, apolipoprotein E4, neuroimaging, and cardiometabolic, physiological, and psychosocial characteristics were examined, with a particular focus on information processing as measured by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST).</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>Cox proportional models were used to estimate mortality risks in a cohort of 3513 adults (74.8 years, 58% women, 84% white) with WMH (0-9 points), DSST (0-90 points), risk factor assessment in 1992 to 1994, and data on mortality and incident stroke in 2009 (median follow-up [range] = 14.2 [0.5-18.1] years).</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>WMH predicted a 48% greater mortality risk (age-adjusted hazard ratio [HR; 95% confidence interval {CI}] for WMH >3 points = 1.48 [1.35-1.62]). This association was attenuated after adjustment for DSST (HR [CI] = 1.38 [1.27-1.51]) or lacunar infarcts (HR [CI] = 1.37 [1.25,1.50]) but not after adjustment for other factors. The interaction between DSST and WMH was significant (p = .011). In fully adjusted models stratified by WMH of 3 or higher, participants with DSST greater than or equal to median had a 34% lower mortality risk among those with WMH of 3 or higher (n = 532/1217) and a 28% lower mortality risk among those with WMH lower than 3 (n = 1364/2296), compared with participants with DSST less than median (HR [95% CI] = 0.66 [0.55-0.81] and 0.72 [0.62-0.83], respectively).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>WMH is associated with increased long-term mortality risk in community-dwelling adults 65 years and older. The increased risk is attenuated for those with higher DSST. Assessment of cognitive function with DSST may improve risk stratification of individuals with WMH.</p>
DOI10.1097/PSY.0b013e31829c1df2
Alternate JournalPsychosom Med
PubMed ID23886735
PubMed Central IDPMC3809761
Grant ListP30 AG024827 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG015928 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
U01 HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC015103 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
K23 AG028966 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R56 AG020098 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC085085 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
AG-20098 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC55222 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85086 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85086 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
AG-027058 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85082 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC-55222 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
HHSN268201200036C / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-75150 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC085084 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG020098 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85082 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC75150 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85083 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85239 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
AG-023629 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85079 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG023629 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG027058 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC045133 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85080 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC035129 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R56 AG023629 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85081 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 AG037451 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States