Alzheimer Disease and Inflammation: More Epidemiology, More Questions

For anti-inflammatory approaches to Alzheimer disease, timing may be everything.

Breitner and colleagues, who have published some of the most encouraging epidemiologic findings on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and reduced risk for Alzheimer disease (AD; e.g., Alzheimers Dement 2008; 4:223), now report very different results from a new study. Participants were 2736 initially dementia-free elders (median age at baseline, 74.8) who were members of a healthcare system with detailed pharmacy records. During 12 years of follow-up with biennial assessments, those with heavy NSAID use had a significantly greater incidence of AD than those with light or no use (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.57). Moderate NSAID use was associated with a smaller increase in risk for AD.

In reconciling these findings with their previous…

Reviewing Author

Joseph Rogers, PhD