Risk factors of dementia: a hospital-based case-control study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Risk factors of dementia: a hospital-based case-control study in Wolverhampton

  • IRAS ID

    257823

  • Contact name

    James Jie Tang

  • Contact email

    James.Tang@wlv.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Wolverhampton

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    DEMAIRPO, Proposal acronym

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    1 years, 1 months, 18 days

  • Research summary

    Dementia is one of the world's biggest health problems and is a major public health challenge without unknown cure measurement, and thus more efforts should be made to investigate dementia risk factors for prevention. Previous studies showed that exposure to air pollution and passive smoking increase cognitive impairment in older people. Other research suggested that adverse oral health increases cognitive decline. However, whether these factors are associated with increased risk of dementia is unknown. In this study, we will conduct a 1:1 matched case-control study in the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) and Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (BCPFT) to investigate the association of dementia with air pollution, also with passive smoking and oral health. We will consecutively recruit 250 patients with dementia from BCPFT and 250 without dementia (age-sex matched) from RWT over a 14 months period. Using a 45-minute, standard questionnaire, we will document sociodemographic, medical conditions and diseases, passive smoking exposure, oral health, dietary intakes, social support/network for each participant. We will calculate the residential distance proximity to major roadways (PEDPMR) for each participant (an approximate air pollution exposure) based on the participants’ histories of moving house (year and place). We will also use the air pollution monitoring data (closest to the participants) and land use regression model to evaluate exposure air pollution of each participant. We will use multivariate logistic regression models to examine: (1) whether air pollution could contribute to dementia risk, and whether its impacts confounded or mediated by environmental tobacco smoke, diet intake, medical condition and diseases, and social support; and (2) whether passive smoking increases dementia risk and adversely affects oral health in older people.

  • REC name

    North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    19/NW/0367

  • Date of REC Opinion

    18 Sep 2019

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion