People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop dementia as those without the disease.
In a study from Yonsei University in Seoul, scientists found people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes who took the diabetes drug pioglitazone were less likely to later develop dementia than those who did not take the drug.
The results were strongest among people who also had a history of stroke or ischemic heart disease, a condition caused by narrowed arteries in the heart.
These results may suggest that doctors could use a personalized approach to preventing dementia in people with diabetes in the case that they have a history of ischemic heart disease or stroke.
In the study, researchers looked at the national Korean health database for people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who did not have dementia.
They were followed for an average of 10 years. Of the 91,218 participants, 3,467 received the drug pioglitazone.
During the study, 8.3% of the people taking pioglitazone developed dementia, compared to 10.0% of those who were not taking the drug.
The team found that people taking pioglitazone were 16% less likely to develop the disease than those who did not take it.
The benefit was stronger among people who had a history of ischemic heart disease or stroke, with reduced risks of 54% and 43%.
The reduced risk also increased as people used the drug for longer periods.
People who took the drug for four years were 37% less likely to develop dementia than those who did not take the drug, while those who took it for one to two years were 22% less likely.
People taking the drug were also less likely to have a stroke during the study.
The team notes that side effects of pioglitazone include swelling, weight gain, bone loss and congestive heart failure, and more research is needed on the long-term safety of the drug and whether there is an optimal dose that could minimize side effects while maintaining the benefits.
These results provide valuable information on who could potentially benefit from pioglitazone use for the prevention of dementia.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about new drugs for incurable vascular dementia, and high blood pressure may lower dementia risk for some old adults.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about warnings about diabetes drug metformin, and results showing cinnamon could help control blood sugar in people with prediabetes.
The study was conducted by Eosu Kim et al and published in of Neurology.
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