Lipoprotein profile in older patients with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease

Giovanni Zuliani, Alessandro Ble', Rosanna Zanca, Maria Rosa Munari, Amedeo Zurlo, Chella Vavalle, Anna Rita Atti, Renato Fellin

Some alterations of the lipoprotein profile have been associated with cerebrovascular disease. Recently, it has been suggested that cerebrovascular disease might play a role in the pathogenesis of both vascular dementia (VD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nevertheless, the possible association of dyslipidemias with VD or AD is still a controversial issue. We investigated the lipoprotein profile in 100 older patients with vascular dementia (VD; no degrees: 60) or Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease (LOAD; no degrees: 40). The patients were compared with 54 community dwelling non-demented older controls. After adjustment for functional status, blood sedimentation rate, and serum albumin levels, no differences in lipoprotein profile emerged between the three groups, with the exception of HDL-C that was lower in VD compared with controls. Low HDL-C (< 45 mg/dL) was associated with VD (O.R.: 6.52, C.I. 95%: 1.42-30.70 vs controls, and 4.31, C.I. 95%: 0.93-19.82 vs LOAD), after multivariate adjustment. No differences in plasma lipid levels emerged between the three groups after stratification for apo E4 genotype. In this cross-sectional study low HDL-C levels are associated with VD, but not with LOAD, in a sample of older subjects.