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A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society has revealed that long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be associated with a 12% reduction in dementia risk. However, the research also indicated that short- and intermediate-term NSAID use did not demonstrate any protective benefits.
Researchers from Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, analyzed data from over 11,700 dementia-free participants in the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population-based study. The participants, with a mean age of 66 and 60% being women, were followed for an average of 14.5 years. During this period, 18% of the participants were diagnosed with dementia.
The study utilized pharmacy dispensing records dating back to 1991 to categorize participants based on their NSAID usage: nonuse, short-term (<1 month), intermediate-term (1-24 months), and long-term (>24 months). Notably, 81% of the participants used NSAIDs at some point during the follow-up period.
After adjusting for various factors including age, sex, education, lifestyle, and comorbidities, the researchers found that long-term NSAID users had a significantly lower risk of all-cause dementia, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.88. In contrast, short-term and intermediate-term users showed slightly higher risks compared to nonusers, with an HR of 1.04 for both.
Interestingly, the cumulative dose of NSAIDs did not appear to impact dementia risk. The protective effect was more pronounced with non–amyloid-beta (Aβ)–lowering NSAIDs and in participants without the APOE-ε4 allele, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. The association was also stronger for clinical Alzheimer’s disease specifically, with an HR of 0.79.
“Our study provides evidence on possible preventive effects of anti-inflammatory medication against the dementia process,” stated lead investigator M. Arfan Ikram, MD, PhD. The researchers suggested that “prolonged rather than intensive exposure to anti-inflammatory medication may hold potential for dementia prevention.”
However, they cautioned that these findings do not warrant recommending long-term NSAID treatment for dementia prevention due to potential adverse effects. They emphasized the need for further research to confirm these findings.
Limitations:
The study acknowledged several limitations, including the exclusion of over-the-counter NSAID use, which could have led to misclassification of participants. The lack of biomarker-based dementia diagnoses also posed a potential limitation. The study also had a predominantly white population, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Disclosures:
The Rotterdam Study was funded by various organizations, including the Erasmus Medical Center and the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development. One investigator reported receiving a Young Investigator Grant from the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult with a healthcare professional before1 making any decisions related to your health or treatment. The findings of this study do not recommend the long term usage of NSAIDs for dementia prevention due to potential side effects. Further research is necessary.
