Exploring the association Between Cardiovascular Health measured with CANHEART model and early cognitive impairment in middle-aged population.

Background: Both cardiovascular health (CVH) and inflammation associated with cognition, and inflammation also associated with cardiovascular health. However, related information in the Korean population is limited. The objective of our study was to confirm the influence of inflammation on the association between CVH and cognition in cross-sectional design.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center baseline study. Participants who completed fasting serum analysis, questionnaires, and cognitive function tests were included in the analysis, whereas those with a history of autoimmune disease were excluded. CVH in Ambulatory Care Research Team health index metrics, including smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, obesity, history of hypertension, and diabetes, were used to assess CVH. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Estimation for Dementia Screening (MMSE17 DS). Inflammatory status was assessed based on a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs18 CRP) test.

Results: Among 2,622 total participants (mean age 57.2 years; 1,792 women), 13%, 58%, and 29% had poor, intermediate, or ideal CVH, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that CVH was significantly associated with cognitive function only in women. Stratified analysis stated that cognitive impairment due to CVH doesn't have an association with hs-CRP level. When conducted same analyses for each CVH component, the only component affecting the association was hypertension history in men.

Conclusion: Overall, CVH is not significantly associated with cognitive decline in the middle-aged Korean population. Also, the modifying role of inflammation was not significant in CVH and cognition.