The study specifically examined the association between AKI and different types of dementia, using data from more than 300,000 participants aged over 65 from the Stockholm CREAtinine Measurement (SCREAM) project. Approximately 25% of participants experienced at least one episode of AKI during an average follow-up of 12 years, and 16% were diagnosed with dementia. The analysis finds that:
- participants with acute kidney injury have a 49% increased risk of developing some form of dementia;
- this increase reaches 88% for dementia with Lewy bodies or dementia caused by Parkinson’s disease,
- 47% for vascular dementia,
- 31% for Alzheimer’s disease;
- the increase is higher in people with severe kidney damage requiring hospitalization or hospital care.
In conclusion,
” AKI is not just an isolated event affecting kidney function, but may have broader implications, particularly for brain health”,
explains one of the lead authors, Dr. Hong Xu, professor of neurobiology and health sciences at Karolinska Institutet.
Considering acute kidney injury as a risk factor for dementia may enable preventive intervention and treatment and ultimately better patient care.
Research continues for better understand the biological mechanisms linking acute renal failure to dementia.
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