Table 1.
Main clinical and laboratory characteristics and serum zonulin levels in patients with different types of dementia, aMCI, and in healthy controls
| CTR (n = 23) | LOAD (n = 40) | VAD (n = 18) | MIXED (n = 42) | aMCI (n = 36) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristics | |||||
| Age (years) | 76 ± 5 | 79.5 ± 5a | 81 ± 5a | 78 ± 4 | 78 ± 4 |
| Female gender | 45% | 60%a | 71%a | 52%c | 51%c |
| Formal education (years)* | 11 (6–13) | 5 (4–8)a | 5 (2–6)a | 5 (5–8)a | 5 (4–8)a |
| MMSE score (/30) | 28 (26–30) | 21 (19–23)a,e | 22 (20–24)a,e | 19 (17–22)a,e | 25 (23–27)a |
| Current smoker | 4% | 12%a | 10%a | 6% | 5%b |
| Clinical chemistry parameters | |||||
| Hemoglobin (g/dL) | 13.3 ± 1.6 | 13.4 ± 1.5 | 13.2 ± 1 | 13 ± 1.7 | 13 ± 1.5 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 0.9 ± 0.2 | 0.8 ± 0.1 | 1.0 ± 0.4 | 0.9 ± 0.3 | 0.9 ± 0.1 |
| Fasting glucose (mg/dL) | 96 ± 14 | 95 ± 14 | 99 ± 17 | 98 ± 20 | 97 ± 22 |
| Total cholesterol (mg/dL) | 199 ± 39 | 198 ± 37 | 225 ± 45 | 198 ± 48 | 193 ± 38 |
| hs-CRP | 0.12 (0.04–0.32) | 0.26 (0.16–0.50)a | 0.10 (0.04–1.06) | 0.11 (0.05–0.24) | 0.12 (0.08–0.38) |
| FT4 | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 1.2 ± 0.2 | 1.0 ± 0.2 | 1.1 ± 0.2 | 1.2 ± 0.2 |
| TSH | 2.2 ± 1.3 | 2.3 ± 1.6 | 2.0 ± 0.8 | 2.5 ± 3.3 | 2.2 ± 1.3 |
| Comorbidities | |||||
| Hypertension | 47% | 54% | 94%a,b | 60% | 75%a |
| Diabetes | 10% | 13% | 7% | 17%c | 17%c |
| CHD | 14% | 13% | 8% | 17%c | 15% |
| Stroke/TIA | 3% | 0% | 14%a,b,e | 10%a,b | 0% |
Normally distributed variables are expressed as mean ± SD, while non-normally distributed variables are indicated as median (Interquartile Range)
Categorical variables are expressed as a percentage within groups
Statistical analysis: ANOVA for normal variables; Kruskall–Wallis for non-normal variables; Chi-squared for categorical variables
MMSE standardized mini-mental state examination, TSH thyroid stimulating hormone, FT4 free thyroxine, hs-CRP high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, CHD coronary heart disease
Pairwise comparison: ap < 0.05 vs. Controls; bp < 0.05 vs. LOAD; cp < 0.05 vs. VAD; dp < 0.05 vs. MIXED; ep < 0.05 vs. aMCI