Subclinical Myocardial Injury and Global Cognitive Performance: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis)
Authors' conclusion
In community-based cohort, higher or increasing hs-cTnT was associated with greater odds of future cognitive decline over 6 years of follow-up.
Study context
- Population
- Community-based cohort participants with high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) assessed at baseline (2000–2002) and exam 5 (2010–2012) and cognitive function evaluated at exams 5 and 6 (2016–2018)participants with hs-cTnT assessed at baseline and exam 5
- Participants
- 4,445 participants
- Exposure
- Association of hs-cTnT levels with Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) scores and their decline
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Subclinical myocardial injury prevalence · baseline and exam 5
Subclinical myocardial injury at baseline
63%
Subclinical myocardial injury at exam 5
87%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Cognitive decline (>5 point decrease in CASI scores from exam 5 to 6)
| Comparison | OR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Higher Log10(hs-cTnT) at baseline · higher odds of cognitive decline · fully adjusted models | 2.02 (1.29–3.12) | |
| Higher Log10(hs-cTnT) at exam 5 · higher odds of cognitive decline · fully adjusted models | 2.52 (1.56–4.05) | |
| Greater baseline to exam 5 increase in Log10(hs-cTnT) · higher odds of cognitive decline · fully adjusted models | 2.22 (1.18–4.15) | |
| 0.20.5125Odds ratio (log scale) |
| Outcome | β (95% CI) |
|---|---|
| CASI scores at exam 5 per higher Log10(hs-cTnT) — Higher Log10(hs-cTnT) at baseline · lower CASI scores | −1.45 (−2.5 to −0.41) |
| CASI scores at exam 5 per higher Log10(hs-cTnT) — Higher Log10(hs-cTnT) at exam 5 · lower CASI scores | −1.63 (−2.7 to −0.59) |
| CASI scores at exam 5 per higher Log10(hs-cTnT) — Greater baseline to exam 5 increase in Log10(hs-cTnT) · lower CASI scores | −1.42 (−2.8 to −0.06) |
- CASI scores at exam 5 per higher Log10(hs-cTnT): adjusted for demographics, education, language, and apolipoprotein E status
- CASI scores at exam 5 per higher Log10(hs-cTnT): These estimate lost significance after cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor adjustment
Baseline characteristics
- Mean age
- 60 years
- Females
- 53%
Original publication
Subclinical Myocardial Injury and Global Cognitive Performance: MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). JACC Adv. Published 23 June 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it