Higher Rates of Dementia in Older Adults After Starting Dialysis

A study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found older adults who initiate hemodialysis for kidney failure are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's, carrying a high risk of early death, reports ScienceDaily . The researchers analyzed information on 356,668 American hemodialysis recipients aged 66 years. The one- and five-year risks of dementia diagnosis after initiating hemodialysis were 4.6 percent and 16 percent for women and 3.7 percent and 13 percent for men. The respective risks of receiving an Alzheimer's diagnosis were 0.6 percent and 2.6 percent for women and 0.4 percent and 2 percent for men. The team calculated that the 10-year risk of a post-hemodialysis dementia diagnosis is 19 percent for people aged 66-70 years, climbing to 28 percent for those 76-80 years. The strongest risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer's were age, being black and female, and institutionalization. In addition, older people on hemodialysis with a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's were twice as likely to die early.