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OBJECTIVE: To assess a possible relationship between thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, vascular risk factors, and Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS: TSH levels were measured in 178 AD patients (35 confirmed post mortem) and 291 cognitively screened control subjects who were all euthyroid (TSH: 0.5 to 6 mU/L). The risk of AD was determined in participants with lower levels of TSH, several cerebrovascular risk factors, and other potential confounds. RESULTS: AD patients had significantly lower levels of TSH than control subjects. Lowered TSH was associated with a more than twofold increased risk of AD (odds ratio = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.19 to 4.67), independent of other risk factors. CONCLUSION: Lowered TSH within the normal range is a risk factor for AD, independent of several cerebrovascular risk factors and confounding variables.

Type

Journal article

Journal

Neurology

Publication Date

08/06/2004

Volume

62

Pages

1967 - 1971

Keywords

Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alcohol Drinking, Alzheimer Disease, Apolipoproteins E, Cohort Studies, Comorbidity, Creatinine, Diabetes Mellitus, England, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Homocysteine, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Odds Ratio, Reference Values, Risk Factors, Serum Albumin, Smoking, Thyrotropin, Thyroxine