HbA1c Stability Tied to Lower Risk for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias

Findings seen in large study of older veterans with diabetes

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, Aug. 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Increased glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) stability within patient-specific target ranges is associated with a lower risk for Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD), according to a study published online Aug. 2 in JAMA Network Open.

Patricia C. Underwood, Ph.D., from the William F. Connell School of Nursing at Boston College, and colleagues examined the association between HbA1c time in range (TIR) and the incidence of ADRD in older veterans with diabetes. The analysis included 374,021 veterans with diabetes identified from administrative health care data (2005 to 2014) and followed for up to 10 years.

The researchers found that lower HbA1c TIR was associated with an increased risk for incident ADRD (HbA1c TIR of 0 to

“These results affirm the benefits of applying personalized HbA1c target ranges based on age, life expectancy, and comorbidities,” the authors write. “Clinicians should work with patients to ensure HbA1c stability to reduce ADRD risk in older adults with diabetes.”