Association of Ventricular Arrhythmias With Dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Faye L. Norby, Alvaro Alonso, Mary R. Rooney, Ankit Maheshwari, Ryan J. Koene, Michael Zhang, Elsayed Z. Soliman, Laura R. Loehr, Thomas Mosley, Rebecca F. Gottesman, Josef Coresh, Lin Y. Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

ObjectiveWe performed a cross-sectional analysis to determine whether nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) were associated with dementia in a population-based study.MethodsWe included 2,517 (mean age 79 years, 26% Black) participants who wore a 2-week ambulatory continuous ECG recording device in 2016 to 2017. NSVT was defined as a wide-complex tachycardia ≥4 beats with a rate >100 bpm. We calculated NSVT and PVC burden as the number of episodes per day. Dementia was adjudicated by experts. We used logistic regression to assess the associations of NSVT and PVCs with dementia.ResultsThe mean recording time of the Zio XT Patch was 12.6 ± 2.6 days. There were 768 (31%) participants with NSVT; prevalence was similar in White and Black participants. There were 134 (6.5%) dementia cases (5% in White, 10% in Black participants). After multivariable adjustment, there was no overall association between NSVT and dementia; however, there was a significant race interaction (p < 0.001). In Black participants, NSVT was associated with a 3.67 times higher adjusted odds of dementia (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.92-7.02) compared to those without NSVT, whereas in White participants NSVT was not associated with dementia (odds ratio [95% CI] 0.64 [0.37-1.10]). In Black participants only, a higher burden of PVCs was associated with dementia.ConclusionsPresence of NSVT and a higher burden of NSVT and PVCs are associated with dementia in elderly Black people. Further research to confirm this novel finding and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms is warranted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)E926-E936
JournalNeurology
Volume96
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 9 2021

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Neurology

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