Cardiovascular Disease Increases Rate of Cognitive Decline in People With MS

Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and comorbid cardiovascular disease had greater cognitive decline in general, and decreased processing speed in particular, compared with patients with MS without cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience.

“Based on the results of our trial, physicians should take into consideration the presence of cardiovascular disease factors when evaluating the progression of cognitive decline in patients with MS and should opt in using the Symbol Digit Modalities Test as a primary indicator,” wrote corresponding author Sotirios Giannopoulos, MD, PhD, of Attikon University Hospital in Greece, and coauthors.

The study included 248 patients with MS from an outpatient clinic at Attikon University Hospital. Patients were cognitively evaluated over the course of a single year with the written version of the Symbol Digit Modalities Test and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

Among patients, overall cognitive decline was increased, and processing speed was decreased, in those with cardiovascular disease compared with those without cardiovascular disease, according to the study. 

While cognitive burden appeared greater in all patients with MS over time, impairment was highest in patients with comorbid diabetes and dyslipidemia, followed by patients with hypertension, compared with patients without cardiovascular comorbidity and controls with a high body mass index, researchers reported.

“Since dyslipidemia, diabetes, and hypertension seem to contribute to a faster cognitive deterioration, physicians should shorten the evaluation period to 6 months instead of a year,” researchers advised.

Reference:
Giannopapas V, Stavrogianni K, Christouli N, et al. Do cardiovascular disease comorbidities affect the cognitive function of multiple sclerosis patients? J Clin Neurosci. 2023;112:20-24. doi:10.1016/j.jocn.2023.04.005