Background: Data on risk factors for dementia in the MENA region and specifically in the UAE are limited. Methods: A case-control study of dementia patients and age-matched controls identified over 10 years at a quaternary care hospital network in Abu Dhabi. Historic data on cardiovascular, neurological, psychiatric, and nutritional risk factors were collected for patients and controls. Results: A total of 281 dementia patients (mean age 74.9 ± 9.2 y, 46.3% females) and 281 age-matched controls (mean age 74.3 ± 4.6 y, 55.9% females) were included. Patients with dementia were more likely to have heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, chronic anemia, chronic kidney disease, Parkinson disease, other neurodegenerative changes, mood disorders, psychotic disorders, and vitamin D deficiency, and less likely to have hyperlipidemia compared with controls. On logistic regression, only cerebrovascular disease (OR: 6.578, 95% CI: 2.163-20.004, P = 0.001) and mood disorders (OR: 10.046, 95% CI: 2.255-44.751, P = 0.002) were significantly and independently associated with dementia, while hyperlipidemia was protective (OR: 0.531, 95% CI: 0.360-0.783, P = 0.001). Conclusion: Cerebrovascular disease and mood disorders are potential risk factors for dementia in the MENA region, while a protective role for hyperlipidemia warrants further investigation.
Dhillon et al. (2025) studied this question.