Long-Term Cognitive Transitions, Rates of Cognitive Change, and Predictors of Incident Dementia in a Population-Based First-Ever Stroke Cohort

Abstract

Background and Purpose— There are few data on long-term cognitive outcomes after first-ever stroke. We aimed to study long-term cognitive transitions, rates of cognitive change, and factors associated with incident dementia and cognitive impairment–no dementia (CIND) 2 years after first-ever stroke. Methods— A population-based cohort of incident first-ever stroke cases (n=99; mean age, 69.9 years) and an age- and sex-matched comparison group (nonstrokes, n=99) were followed up for 2 years by 3 serial examinations. Rates of cognitive change were compared by repeated-measures analyses. Factors associated with incident dementia and CIND at 2 years were determined by multinomial logistic regression. Results— Significant stroke×time interactions were present for all cognitive domains, with stroke cases showing a greater rate of decline compared with nonstrokes. Stroke recurrence during follow-up was responsible for significantly greater global decline. Strokes with recurrence (P=0.02), age (P=0.004), and basel...