Abstract
Background
Knowledge of comorbidities among diverse populations with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is important in clinical trials and real-world clinical practice.
Objective
The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities prior to and after diagnosis with MCI/AD in the real world.
Methods
This retrospective cohort study used insurance claims and electronic health records from Optum's de-identified Market Clarity Data. MCI, AD, and comorbidities were determined using diagnosis codes and, in some cases, specific medications. Controls were matched 1:1 to individuals with MCI/AD.
Results
Among individuals with MCI/AD diagnoses (mean ages 66 and 76, respectively), the most prevalent comorbidities prior to and after MCI/AD diagnoses were cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Individuals with MCI had a higher prevalence of stroke before diagnosis compared with controls.
Conclusions
Among all demographic groups, comorbidities are highly prevalent and need recognition when caring for individuals with MCI/AD. This applies to all sex and race/ethnicity stratifications examined in this study, although the frequency of comorbidities experienced by different groups varied.
Keywords
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