Key result
Mean MoCA scores did not differ significantly between male and female patients with cardiovascular diseases, though depression, dyslipidemia, higher BMI, and lower education lowered scores only in women.
Why the study?
Cardiovascular diseases share common risk factors with cognitive decline, but sex-based differences in cognitive capacity among patients with CVDs were not well characterized.
Are there sex-based differences in cognitive performance and its associated risk factors among patients with cardiovascular diseases?
Cross-Sectional (n=246)
Are there sex-based differences in cognitive performance and its associated risk factors among patients with cardiovascular diseases?
While overall cognitive performance does not differ by sex in CVD patients of the same age, the risk factors associated with cognitive decline show sex-specific patterns, highlighting the need for personalized risk assessment.
Sex-specific cognitive associations in CVD patients are hypothesis-generating; prospective studies needed before any clinical consideration.
Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) share common risk factors with cognitive decline. The scope of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate sex-based differences in cognitive capacity in patients with CVDs. Methods: We evaluated cognitive performance in 246 patients with CVDs using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Other risk factors, comorbidity with depression and anxiety disorders, and frailty score were evaluated, and patients were stratified by sex and age. Results: Age and hypertension were associated with lower MoCA scores for both sexes. However, diagnosis of depression, dyslipidemia, higher Body Mass Index (BMI), and fewer years of education were associated with a lower MoCA score only in female participants. No statistically significant difference was found in mean MoCA scores between male and female subjects of the same age groups. Conclusions: Sex-based differences and shared risk factors may be taken into account when evaluating cognitive performance, especially in patients with CVD.
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Prentakis et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Cardiovascular diseases (n=246). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score. Mean MoCA scores did not differ significantly between male and female patients with cardiovascular diseases, though depression, dyslipidemia, higher BMI, and lower education lowered scores only in women.
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