Background and Purpose
The purpose of this study was to determine the complex associations among chronic
kidney disease (CKD), subclinical brain infarction (SBI), and cognitive impairment.
Methods
We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the complex relationships among
CKD, SBI, and cognitive function with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE; global
function) and modified Stroop test (executive function) in a population-based cohort
of 560 non-demented elderly subjects.
Results
Path analysis based on SEM revealed that the direct paths from estimated glomerular
filtration rate (eGFR) to SBI and from SBI to executive function were significant
(β = −.10, P = .027, and β = .16, P < .001, respectively). Furthermore, the direct path from eGFR to executive function
was also significant (β = −.12, P = .006), indicating that the effects of CKD on executive function are independent
of SBI. The direct paths from age and education to global cognitive function were
highly significant (β = −.17 and .22, respectively, P < .001), whereas the direct path from eGFR to MMSE was not significant.
Conclusions
Our findings indicate that CKD confers a risk of vascular cognitive impairment or
executive dysfunction through mechanisms dependent and independent of SBI. Treating
CKD may be a potential strategy to protect against vascular cognitive impairment or
executive dysfunction in healthy elderly subjects.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 27, 2016
Accepted:
October 2,
2016
Received in revised form:
September 27,
2016
Received:
August 6,
2016
Footnotes
Grant support: This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 15K08942.
Identification
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2016.10.002
Copyright
© 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
