Evidence mapPaperPMID 40794911Full record

SynthesisAge and ageing2025

Association of lipid-lowering therapy with dementia and cognitive outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Catriona Reddin, Aidan Stankard, Kei Yen Chan, Finn Krewer, Conor Judge, Michelle Canavan, Daniel H J Davis, Martin O'Donnell

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Age and ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Catriona ReddinDepartment of Medicine, Health Research Board Clinical Research Facility Galway, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-6396-5913
Aidan StankardDepartment of Medicine, Galway University Hospitals -Newcastle Road Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Kei Yen ChanDepartment of Medicine, Galway University Hospitals -Newcastle Road Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Finn KrewerDepartment of Medicine, Health Research Board Clinical Research Facility Galway, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Conor JudgeDepartment of Medicine, Health Research Board Clinical Research Facility Galway, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.
Michelle CanavanDepartment of Medicine, Health Research Board Clinical Research Facility Galway, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-9445-0181
Daniel H J DavisUniversity College London - MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, 33 Bedford Place, London WC1B 5JU.ORCID 0000-0002-1560-1955
Martin O'DonnellDepartment of Medicine, Health Research Board Clinical Research Facility Galway, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesLipid-lowering agents are effective in reducing cardiovascular risk, but their effect on cognitive impairment and dementia is uncertain. The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine whether lipid-lowering therapy, compared to control, was associated with a reduction in risk of dementia or cognitive impairment.

methodsWe performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials comparing lipid-lowering therapy to control that reported dementia or change in cognitive scores, adhering to the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. A random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate a pooled treatment-effect. The primary outcome measure was incident cognitive impairment or dementia.

resultsTwenty randomised controlled trials were eligible for inclusion, 15 trials (n = 139 169 participants) reported dementia or cognitive impairment on follow-up (primary outcome) and nine trials (n = 32 370) reported on change in cognitive score. The mean (SD) age of trial participants was 65.4 (5.06) years in the intervention arm and 65.4 (5.03) in the control arm. Lipid-lowering therapy compared with control was not associated with a significant reduction in dementia or cognitive impairment (1.33% vs 1.36% over a mean trial follow-up of 34.5 months; Odds Ratio, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.74-1.26). Heterogeneity was moderate (I2 = 37.6%). There was no significant association amongst drug classes (Statin; OR 0.90; 95% CI, 0.67-1.21, PCSK9 inhibitor: OR 1.77; 95% CI, 0.46-6.83, Other: OR 0.85; 0.61-1.17). DISCUSSION: In this meta-analysis of over 100 000 participants, lipid-lowering therapy was not significantly associated with a lower risk of incident cognitive impairment or dementia. This meta-analysis provides evidence to support the safety of lipid-lowering therapy on cognitive health, however, does not provide evidence of risk reduction of incident cognitive impairment or dementia.

Indexed as

CognitionCognitive DysfunctionDementiaHypolipidemic AgentsAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRisk FactorsTreatment OutcomeHypolipidemic Agentsdementialipid-loweringmeta-analysisolder peoplesystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40794911
PMCPMC12341882

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.