TABLE 1.
General characteristics of the studied sample at baseline.
| Total sample | Participants with CI | Participants with normal cognition | p | |
| n | 145 | 93 | 52 | |
| Age, years (m ± SD) | 71.2 ± 8.1 | 74.1 ± 6.7 | 65.9 ± 7.8 | 0.001 |
| Gender, n (%) women | 89 (61.4) | 55 (59.1) | 34 (65.4) | 0.459 |
| Education level*, n (%) higher education | 43 (30.5) | 25 (28.1) | 18 (34.6) | 0.268 |
| BMI*, Kg/m2 (m ± SD) | 24.9 ± 4.1 | 24.8 ± 3.9 | 25.2 ± 4.4 | 0.661 |
| APOEε 4*, n (%) carriers | 48 (33.1) | 39 (45.9) | 9 (17.6) | 0.001 |
| CDR-SB (m ± SD) (0–18) | 1.5 ± 2.1 | 2.3 ± 2.2 | 0.0 ± 0.1 | <0.001 |
| MMSE score (0–30) (m ± SD) | 26.4 ± 3.7 | 25.1 ± 4.0 | 28.5 ± 1.2 | <0.001 |
| CSF AD biomarkers | ||||
| Aβ1−42, in pg/mL (m ± SD) | 817.7 ± 284.6 | 727.3 ± 274.6 | 979.4 ± 226.0 | <0.001 |
| Aβ1−42/ Aβ1−40 ratio* (m ± SD) | 0.055 ± 0.022 | 0.047 ± 0.017 | 0.068 ± 0.022 | <0.001 |
| tau, in pg/mL (m ± SD) | 417.1 ± 308.5 | 510.1 ± 341.5 | 250.8 ± 120.4 | <0.001 |
| p-tau, in pg/mL (m ± SD) | 64.4 ± 36.1 | 73.3 ± 40.9 | 48.4 ± 16.1 | <0.001 |
| p-tau/Aβ1−42 ratio (m ± SD) | 0.10 ± 0.09 | 0.12 ± 0.10 | 0.05 ± 0.02 | <0.001 |
| CSF AD biomarker profile, n (%) | 59 (40.7) | 55 (59.1) | 4 (7.7) | <0.001 |
| CSF Cortisol, in ng/mL (m ± SD) | 35.94 ± 17.31 | 39.92 ± 18.10 | 28.82 ± 13.20 | <0.001 |
| CSF DHEAS, in ng/mL (m ± SD) | 0.99 ± 0.48 | 0.99 ± 0.49 | 0.98 ± 0.47 | 0.874 |
| CSF Cortisol/DHEAS ratio (m ± SD) | 48.44 ± 47.41 | 54.90 ± 54.92 | 36.88 ± 26.31 | 0.009 |
AD, Alzheimer’s disease; APOE, apolipoprotein E; BMI, body mass index; CDR, clinical dementia rating; CDR-SB, clinical dementia rating sum of boxes; CI, cognitive impairment; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; DHEAS, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate; m, mean; MMSE, mini mental state examination; p-tau, hyperphosphorylated tau; SD, standard deviation; tau, total tau. *Missing data: 7 (4.8%) for education level, 11 (7.6%) for BMI, 9 (6.2%) for APOE, 8 (5.5%) for Aβ1–42/Aβ1–40 ratio. No missing data for the other variables.