Progression

White matter hyperintensities severity and progression are not related to earlobe crease presence. A cross-sectional and longitudinal prospective study in community-dwelling older adults. La severidad y progresión de hiperintensidades de la sustancia blanca no están relacionados con la presencia del pliegue del lóbulo de la oreja. Un estudio transversal y longitudinal prospectivo en una población de adultos mayores

Background: Earlobe crease (ELC) has been associated with coronary atherosclerosis. Recently, ELC has been associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) of presumed vascular origin. However, the results are heterogeneous among studies. We aimed to assess whether ELC is associated with WMH severity and progression in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Atahualpa Project Cohort participants received earlobe photographs and brain MRIs to assess the association between ELC and WMH severity, as well as the relationship between ELC and WMH progression using ordinal logistic and Poisson regression models, respectively.

Results: The cross-sectional component of the study included 359 individuals aged ≥60 years. ELC was present in 175 subjects. On MRI, 107 participants did not have WMH, 174 had mild, 56 had moderate, and 22 had severe WMH. A multivariate ordinal logistic regression model did not show a significant association between the main variables investigated (OR: 0.72; 95% C.I.: 0.48 – 1.06). The longitudinal component included 252 individuals, 126 of whom had ELC and 103 had WMH progression. A Poisson regression model showed no association between ELC and WMH progression (IRR: 1.02; 95% C.I.: 0.69 – 1.51).

Conclusions: ELC is not related to WMH severity and progression in the study population.

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Palabras clave: el signo de Frank, Estudio de cohorte prospectivo, Factores de riesgo, hiperintensidades de sustancia blanca, Pliegue del lóbulo de la oreja, Progresión,

Keywords: Earlobe crease, Frank’s sign, Progression, Prospective cohort study, Risk factors, White matter hyperintensities,

Conversión de Deterioro Cognitivo Leve a Demencia.

Great social efforts and sanitary conditions have decreased child mortality rates, decreased birth rates and increased life expectancy. Consequently, the proportion of adults has increased. The increased incidence of neurodegenerative disease such as dementia occurs in parallel to this demographic transition. Dementia may be associated with several risk factors. However, few studies have examined the rate of cognitive and functional decline.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of cognitive decline and dementia, risk factors and report results of cognitive and functional decline in patients in the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Methods: We included all outpatients aged ≥ 50 years attending between 1999 and 2000. We sought to asses the Petersen criteria for the mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Patients were assessed using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition), and the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria. We followed for up to 8 years.

Results: A total of 239 individuals were included. The conversion of MCI was of 25.6% per year and 56.4% at the eight years. The consumption of alcohol were associated with dementias (p<0.01).