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Knee height and arm span: a reflection of early life environment and risk of dementia.

TitleKnee height and arm span: a reflection of early life environment and risk of dementia.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2008
AuthorsHuang, TL, Carlson, MC, Fitzpatrick, AL, Kuller, LH, Fried, LP, Zandi, PP
JournalNeurology
Volume70
Issue19 Pt 2
Pagination1818-26
Date Published2008 May 06
ISSN1526-632X
KeywordsAged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Anthropometry, Arm, Body Height, Brain, Child, Child, Preschool, Dementia, Environment, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Knee, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Sex Characteristics, Skeleton
Abstract<p><b>OBJECTIVES: </b>To determine if anthropometric measures, as markers of early life environment, are associated with risk of dementia, Alzheimer disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD).</p><p><b>METHODS: </b>A total of 2,798 subjects were followed as part of the Cardiovascular Health Cognition Study for an average of 5.4 years; 480 developed dementia. Knee height was measured 3 years prior to and arm span 4 years after the study's baseline. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine their association with subsequent risk of dementia, AD, and VaD.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>Among women, greater knee height and arm span were associated with lower risks of dementia (knee height: HR per 1-inch increase 0.84; 95% CI 0.74-0.96; arm span: HR per 1-inch increase 0.93; 95% CI 0.88-0.98) and AD (knee height: HR per 1-inch increase 0.78; 95% CI 0.65-0.93; arm span: HR per 1-inch increase 0.90; 95% CI 0.85-0.96). Women in the lowest quartile of arm span had approximately 1.5 times greater risk of dementia (HR 1.45; 95% CI 1.03-2.05) and AD (HR 1.70; 95% CI 1.10-2.62) than other women. Among men, only arm span was associated with lower risks of dementia (HR per 1-inch increase 0.94; 95% CI 0.89-1.00) and AD (HR per 1-inch increase 0.92; 95% CI 0.84-1.00). For each gender, knee height was not associated with VaD, while arm span was associated with a nonsignificant lower risk of VaD.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>Our findings with knee height and arm span are consistent with previous reports and suggest early life environment may play an important role in the determination of future dementia risk.</p>
DOI10.1212/01.wnl.0000311444.20490.98
Alternate JournalNeurology
PubMed ID18458216
PubMed Central IDPMC: N/A
Grant ListAG15928 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States
N01 HC-15103 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-35129 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85080 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85081 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85082 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85083 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85084 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85085 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01-HC-85086 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
T32 DK75610 / DK / NIDDK NIH HHS / United States
T32-MH14592 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States