Temporal comorbidity patterns in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia: a population-based observational study inn UK Biobank
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction: In Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia, comorbidities shape disease trajectories and care needs, yet their timing across the lifespan remains poorly understood.
Methods: We analysed comorbidities using in-patient hospital ICD-10 codes in 10,730 UK Biobank participants with Alzheimer’s Disease or Vascular Dementia, spanning 20 years before to 10 years after diagnosis. Logistic regression and Bayesian Network Analysis identified time- and subtype-specific risk patterns, validated against controls.
Results: Distinct comorbidities emerged decades before diagnosis. In Alzheimer’s Disease, depressive episodes, osteoporosis, and type 1 diabetes appeared up to 20 years pre-diagnosis, while Vascular Dementia was characterised by early cerebral infarctions, type 1 diabetes, intestinal disorders, and rheumatoid arthritis, absent in controls.
Discussion: Although restricted to severe populations captured in in-patient data, excluding primary care, these findings reveal time-dependent prodromal patterns in Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia, highlighting opportunities for targeted screening, prevention, and early intervention.
Methods: We analysed comorbidities using in-patient hospital ICD-10 codes in 10,730 UK Biobank participants with Alzheimer’s Disease or Vascular Dementia, spanning 20 years before to 10 years after diagnosis. Logistic regression and Bayesian Network Analysis identified time- and subtype-specific risk patterns, validated against controls.
Results: Distinct comorbidities emerged decades before diagnosis. In Alzheimer’s Disease, depressive episodes, osteoporosis, and type 1 diabetes appeared up to 20 years pre-diagnosis, while Vascular Dementia was characterised by early cerebral infarctions, type 1 diabetes, intestinal disorders, and rheumatoid arthritis, absent in controls.
Discussion: Although restricted to severe populations captured in in-patient data, excluding primary care, these findings reveal time-dependent prodromal patterns in Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia, highlighting opportunities for targeted screening, prevention, and early intervention.
Date Issued
2026-01-01
Date Acceptance
2026-01-15
Citation
Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring, 2026, 18 (1)
ISSN
2352-8729
Publisher
Wiley
Journal / Book Title
Alzheimer's and Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment and Disease Monitoring
Volume
18
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2026 The Author(s). Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behlaf of Alzheimer's Association. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providedthe original work is properly cited.
License URL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
70265
Date Publish Online
2026-02-10