Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics
| Variable | Total Sample | Fast Progressors | Others |
|---|---|---|---|
| n | 55 | 18 | 33 |
| Age (y) | 73.1 ± 6.2 | 71.7 ± 5.9 | 73.9 ± 6.4 |
| Sex (female) | 56.4 (31) | 55.6 (10) | 63.6 (21) |
| ADAS-cog 12 score | 31.7 ± 10.1 | 35.9 ± 12.9* | 28.7 ± 7.0 |
| DAD score | 33.0 (29.7–38.0) | 32.6 (31.0–37.6) | 33.5 (31.0–37.9) |
| Smoking | 9.1 (5) | 5.6 (1) | 9.1 (3) |
| History of CVD | 16.4 (9) | 22.2 (4) | 15.2 (5) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 5.5 (3) | 0 | 9.1 (3) |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 24.9 ± 3.6 | 25.3 ± 3.1 | 24.8 ± 4.1 |
| Intervention group | 52.7 (29) | 55.6 (10) | 51.5 (17) |
| Antihypertensive drug use | 29.1 (16) | 33.3 (6) | 24.2 (8) |
| Statin use | 18.2 (10) | 16.7 (3) | 21.2 (7) |
| Memantine use | 10.9 (6) | 11.1 (2) | 12.1 (4) |
| Cholinesterase inhibitor use | 81.8 (45) | 77.8 (14) | 84.8 (28) |
| Antidepressants use | 14.5 (8) | 16.7 (3) | 15.2 (5) |
| Home systolic BP (mm Hg) | 135.6 ± 18.3 | 134.6 ± 14.6 | 136.0 ± 19.9 |
| Home diastolic BP (mm Hg) | 77.0 ± 10.0 | 76.9 ± 8.6 | 77.1 ± 10.6 |
| BRS-gain (ms/mm Hg) | 2.60 (2.12–3.57) | 2.44 (1.99–3.26) | 2.87 (2.16–3.68) |
| BRS-down (ms/mm Hg) | 2.55 (1.75–4.64) | 2.91 (2.27–4.20) | 2.37 (1.63–3.50) |
| BRS-up (ms/mm Hg) | 3.87 (2.58–5.53) | 3.96 (2.76–4.77) | 3.59 (2.59–6.10) |
| Brain volume (× 105 mm3) | 13.62 ± 0.67 | 13.57 ± 0.58 | 13.75 ± 0.70 |
| Gray matter volume (× 105 mm3) | 6.58 ± 0.47 | 6.39 ± 0.44* | 6.74 ± 0.43 |
| White matter volume (× 105 mm3) | 7.05 ± 0.42 | 7.18 ± 0.37 | 7.01 ± 0.44 |
| Presence of microbleeds | 20.9 (9) | 15.4 (2) | 25.9 (7) |
| Lacunair infarction | 18.8 (9) | 12.5 (2) | 25.0 (7) |
| WML volume (× 103 mm3) | 9.0 (3.8–23.1) | 11.2 (5.8–26.9) | 8.1 (3.4–14.4) |
| Global CBF (mL/100 g/min) | 84.51 ± 21.25 | 81.00 ± 22.12 | 88.12 ± 20.75 |
Notes: ADAS-cog = Alzheimer’s disease Assessment Scale—cognitive subscale; BMI = body mass index; BP = blood pressure; BRS = baroreflex sensitivity; CBF = cerebral blood flow; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DAD = Disability Assessment for Dementia; WML = white matter lesion volume. Values are mean ± SD, median (interquartile range), or frequency (numbers).
*p < .05 for fast progressors versus others.