Diabetes is a risk factor for dementia, but it is unknown whether higher glucose levels increase the risk of dementia in people without diabetes. 35,264 clinical measurements of glucose levels and 10,208 measurements of glycated hemoglobin levels from 2067 participants without dementia were taken to examine the relationship between glucose levels and the risk of dementia. Participants were from the Adult Changes in Thought study and include 839 men and 1228 women whose mean age at baseline was 76 years, 232 participants had diabetes and 1835 did not. The authors fit Cox regression models, stratified according to diabetes status and adjusted for age, sex, study cohort, educational level, level of exercise, blood pressure, and other factors. The results showed that during a mean follow-up of 6.8 years, dementia developed in 524 participants. Among participants without diabetes, higher average glucose levels within the preceding 5 years were related to an increased risk of dementia. Among participants with diabetes, higher average glucose levels were also related to an increased risk of dementia. The authors conclude that higher glucose levels may be a risk factor for dementia, even among persons without diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2013 August. PMID: 23924004
