Abstract
We analyzed the factors associated with dementia in the elderly attended at a memory outpatient clinic of the University of Southern Santa Catarina (UNISUL). This is a cross-sectional study with data analysis of medical records from January 2013 to April 2016. The outcome was the clinical diagnosis of dementia. The control variables were: serum vitamin D level at the time of diagnosis, gender, skin color, schooling, age, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and depression. We performed a crude and adjusted analysis with logistic regression. The sample consisted of 287 elderly, with the predominance of age between 60 and 69 years (48.78%), female (79.09%) and white (92.33%). The mean number of years of study was 6.95 years (SD ± 4.95) and mean vitamin D was 26.09 ng/mL (SD ± 9,20). The prevalence of elderly with dementia was 16.72%. Depression was the most prevalent (42.50%) among the morbidities, followed by hypertension (31.71%). The following were independently associated with dementia: vitamin D (OR = 0.92, 95%CI, 0.88;0.97), depression (OR = 4.09, 95%CI, 1.87;8.94), hypertension (OR = 2.65, 95%CI, 1.15;6.08) and individuals aged 80 years and over (OR = 3.97 95%CI, 1.59;9.91). Dementia prevalence was high and diagnosed dementia was associated with lower levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D is a modifiable factor, opening up essential perspectives for public health policies.
Highlights
This study aims to analyze the factors associated with dementia in the elderly followed by a Memory Outpatient Clinic of the University of Southern Santa Catarina
Data were analyzed from the records of the elderly monitored by the Memory Outpatient Clinic of the University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unisul)
In the bivariate analysis, increased vitamin D had a protective effect vis-à-vis dementia (OR = 0.93, 95%CI 0.89;0.97); concerning morbidities, the elderly diagnosed with depression were 166% more likely to have the outcome
Summary
The population aged 60 years and over, equivalent to 10% of the total population in 2010, is estimated to reach 13.7% of the population by 2020 and 23.8% by 2040, or almost a quarter of nationals will consist of elderly[1]. Chronic noncommunicable diseases (DCNT) stand out as a significant public health challenge, mainly due to the high morbidity they cause. These diseases can result in severe degrees of disability that affect both the life and well-being of the individuals and the country’s economy. 80% of the elderly have at least one chronic disease, of which 50% with two or more pathologies[3]
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