Inverted U-shaped correlation between serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and cognitive functions of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

• Published in: Lipids in health and disease 2021-09, Vol.20 (1), p.103-103, Article 103
• Main Authors: Zhang, Haoqiang, Zhu, Wenwen, Niu, Tong, Wang, Zheng, An, Ke, Cao, Wuyou, Shi, Jijing, Wang, Shaohua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Alzheimer's disease; Brain research; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, LDL; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Cognition & reasoning; Cognition - physiology; Cognition disorders; Cognitive ability; Cognitive Dysfunction - blood; Cognitive Dysfunction - complications; Cognitive Dysfunction - physiopathology; Cognitive function; Complications and side effects; Correlation analysis; Development and progression; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent); Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - physiopathology; Education; Ethics; Executive function; Executive Function - physiology; Female; Gender; Health aspects; Humans; Laboratories; Lipids disorder; Low density lipoprotein; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Male; Measurement; Metabolic disorders; Middle Aged; Mild cognitive impairment; Neuropsychological Tests; Neuropsychology; Patients; Quality control; Regression analysis; Risk Factors; Spatial Processing - physiology; Type 2 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Visual perception
• ISSN: 1476-511X; 1476-511X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12944-021-01534-5

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) metabolic disorder is common in individuals with diabetes. The role of LDL-C in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) remains to be explored. We aim to investigate the associations between LDL-C at different levels and details of cognition decline in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Patients with T2DM (n = 497) were recruited. Clinical parameters and neuropsychological tests were compared between patients with MCI and controls. Goodness of fit was assessed to determine the linear or U-shaped relationship between LDL-C and cognitive function. The cut-off point of LDL-C was calculated. Correlation and regression were carried out to explore the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and LDL-C levels above and below the cut-off point. Although no significant difference in LDL-C levels was detected in 235 patients with MCI, compared with 262 patients without MCI, inverted-U-shaped association was determined between LDL-C and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The cut-off point of LDL-C is 2.686 mmol/l. LDL-C (>2.686 mmol/l) is positively related to Trail Making Test B (TMTB) indicating executive function. LDL-C (