Association between the estimated 10‐year cardiovascular mortality risk and cognitive function in older adults: results from the FINGER trial

Background Dementia risk scores could be instrumental in the implementation of multidomain lifestyle interventions for dementia prevention. However, as relatively new tools, their performance requires further validation. Given extensive overlap between factors and cardiovascular disease (CVD), usually have an important vascular component better-established become useful this context. More evidence is needed on ability to predict cognitive decline dementia. SCORE/SCORE-Older People (OP) are official tools European Society Cardiology estimate 10-year CVD-mortality risk. In study, we investigated association SCORE/SCORE-OP function within FINGER, first large trial showing efficacy a lifestyle- vascular-based intervention preventing decline. Method SCORE (age<65) SCORE-OP (age≥65) were calculated population 2-year FINGER (N = 1236, baseline 24 months). The outcomes (baseline, 12 months) overall z-score from Neuropsychological Test Battery (NTB, 14 tests, primary outcome) z-scores NTB domains (Memory, Executive Function, Processing Speed, secondary outcomes). associations (i) cognition, (ii) changes (iii) cognition assessed using linear mixed-models repeated-measures with maximum likelihood estimation. Result Higher CVD-mortality, estimated SCORE/SCORE-OP, was significantly consistently associated worse (NTB total composite: Estimate -0.036; CI: -0.042 -0.030; P-value>0.0001; individual domains: P-values<0.0001) yearly lower improvement -0.009, -0.011 -0.007, P-values<0.0001). change not during study period. Conclusion predicting aimed at improving vascular-related more response vascular- based interventions. Future studies other well-established easy-access also provide relevant findings.