Is depression in elderly people followed by dementia? A retrospective cohort study based in general practice
Abstract
We used a retrospective cohort study design to test the hypothesis of a relation between old-age depression and subsequent dementia. The study sample comprised 19 103 patients aged 50 or more and born after 1910, included in a family-practice-based registration network. We estimated odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for a diagnosis of dementia in patients with or without previous late-onset depression and survival analysis, including hazard ratios resulting from Cox regression analysis. The OR for a diagnosis of dementia subsequent or not to late-onset depressions was 2.38 (95% CI 1.08–5.06). No significant difference between patients with or without old-age depression was found at survival analysis: p = 0.26 (log rank test). Hazard ratio for patients with and without previous old age depression was 2.55 (95% CI 1.19–5.47). We conclude that there is a significant relation between old-age depression and subsequent dementia in patients aged 50 or more and born after 1910. This supports the hypothesis of old-age depression being a predictor, and possibly a causal factor, of subsequent dementia.
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Depression is associated with an increased risk of dementia (RR 2.25, 1.69-2.98, I2=82.8%).
“we performed a random effects meta-analysis using the seven studies with a 10 to 14-year follow-up (104-111) and found an increased risk of dementia (RR 2.25, 1.69 -2.98 I 2 = 82.8% )”
From Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission (2024) · cites this paper as [106]
The Summary (p. 1) identifies this as a retrospective cohort study and reports an association between old-age depression and subsequent dementia, so it fits as a study cited for the meta-analysis. The paper does not establish that its follow-up was 10–14 years; the Results (p. 2) give 1–10 years between diagnoses among patients who developed dementia. The RR of 2.25 is presented as the citing authors’ pooled result, not this study’s estimate. (LLM, conf=0.78)
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Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission
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- Authors
- BUNTINX, F., KESTER, A., BERGERS, J., & KNOTTNERUS, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Maastricht University (NL)
- Venue
- Age and Ageing
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1996
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 231-233
- ISSN
- 0002-0729 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2834
- OpenAlex
- W2126924835
- Cited by
- 79
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.82
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Age and Ageing (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- late-onset depression, dementia, older adults, general practice, hazard ratio
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Dementia, Depressive Disorder, Family Practice, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, Cohort Studies, Case-Control Studies
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