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Background: Dementia and atrial fibrillation (AF) have many shared risk factors. Besides, patients with dementia are under-represented in randomized trials, and even if AF is present, oral anticoagulants (OACs) are not prescribed frequently. This study aimed to report the incidence of newly diagnosed AF in dementia patients, and the impacts of use of vitamin K antagonist (VKA; e.g., warfarin) and non-VKA OAC (NOACs) on stroke and bleeding outcomes.
Methods: Our study utilized the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 554,074 patients with dementia were compared with 554,074 age- and sex-matched patients without dementia regarding the risk of incident AF. Among patients with dementia who experienced incident AF, the risks of clinical events of patients treated with warfarin or NOACs were compared with those without OACs (reference group).
Results: The risk of incident AF was greater for patients with dementia compared with those without (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 1.054; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.040-1.068 for all types of dementia, aHR: 1.035; 95% CI: 1.020-1.051 for presenile/senile dementia, and aHR: 1.125; 95% CI: 1.091-1.159 for vascular dementia). Among patients with dementia and experienced incident AF, warfarin use was associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke (aHR: 1.290; 95% CI: 1.156-1.440), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH; aHR: 1.678; 95% CI: 1.346-2.090), and major bleeding (aHR: 1.192; 95% CI: 1.073-1.323) compared with non-OACs. NOAC use was associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke (aHR: 0.421; 95% CI: 0.352-0.503) and composite risk of ischemic stroke or major bleeding (aHR: 0.544; 95% CI: 0.487-0.608) compared with non-OACs. These results were consistent among the patients after the propensity matching.
Conclusion: In this large nationwide cohort, the risk of newly diagnosed AF was higher in patients with dementia (all dementia, presenile/senile dementia, and vascular dementia) compared with those without dementia. For patients with dementia who experienced incident AF, NOAC use was associated with a better clinical outcome compared with non-OAC. Patients with dementia require a holistic approach to their care and management, including the use of NOACs to reduce the risks of clinical events.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-2184-7506 | DOI Listing |
Front Microbiol
August 2025
Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Background: Increasing evidence suggests a potential role of the gut microbiota in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the relationship between the gut microbiome (GM) and PD dementia (PDD) remains debated, with their causal effects and underlying mechanisms not yet fully understood.
Methods: Utilizing data from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs), this study applied bidirectional and mediating Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal relationship and underlying mechanisms between the GM and PDD.
J Dement Alzheimers Dis
June 2025
Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
Background/objective: Cyclosporine A and other calcineurin inhibitors have been identified as prospective treatments for preventing Alzheimer's disease. We previously found that calcineurin inhibitors elicit a unique behavioral profile in zebrafish larvae, characterized by increased activity, acoustic hyperexcitability, and reduced visually guided behaviors. Screening a large library of FDA-approved compounds using Z-LaP Tracker revealed that some heart medications produce a similar behavioral profile, suggesting these drugs may exert calcineurin-inhibitor-like effects relevant to prevent-ing or ameliorating Alzheimer's disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Med (Lausanne)
August 2025
Genomics Laboratory, Institute of Translational Medicine Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia.
Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is one of the most common causes of childhood dementia. NCL type 5 is characterized by epileptic seizures, cognitive decline, and progressive vision loss. Whole exome sequencing was performed, and the identified variant was confirmed by Sanger sequencing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFScand J Caring Sci
September 2025
Namsos Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Hospital Trust, Namsos, Norway.
Introduction: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease that often causes young-onset dementia and affects patients' behaviour and personality. Although FTD significantly burdens patients' family caregivers, their experiences with follow-up health care services remain poorly understood.
Aim: In our study, we explored how family caregivers of patients with FTD have experienced follow-up health care for FTD, particularly their involvement in, influence over and support received during the pre- and post-diagnostic stages.
Nurs Older People
September 2025
Lukka Care Homes, London, England.
Moving into a care home is a major life event, and for people with dementia and their families it can be particularly stressful and challenging. This article outlines how nurses working in care homes can support family carers of residents with dementia during the transition into the care home and throughout the person's stay. • Family carers may experience feelings of loss, guilt and loneliness when they relinquish care.
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