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Borrelia burgdorferi as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s dementia and mild cognitive impairment

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Abstract

Objective

To determine the association of Borrelia burgdorferi infection with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults.

Methods

Case–control study. Patients older than 60 years, both sexes, were included. Three groups were created: with probable Alzheimer’s disease cases with NINCDS–ADRDA criteria, MCI cases in those not meeting NINCDS–ADRDA criteria for dementia, but who had an abnormal cognitive evaluation and independence in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), cognitively healthy controls were diagnosed with normal cognitive evaluation and independence in IADL were identified in the community. Western blot IgG against B. burgdorferi in serum was done in all the participants. Non-conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate the association of Alzheimer’s disease or MCI and seropositive to B. burgdorferi.

Results

Thirty-eight patients with Alzheimer’s disease, mean age of 75.6 ± 3.4 years, 69% were females, education 8.3 ± 4.8 years. 39 patients with MCI, mean age of 72.2 ± 6.8 years, 85% were females, education 11.2 ± 4.2 years. A total of 11/38 (29%) were positive to B. burgdorferi with Alzheimer’s disease, 9/39 (23%) with MCI, and 11/108 (10%) of controls. In patients with Alzheimer’s disease, an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.65 (95% CI 1.2–11.1) adjusted for education and a history of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) was estimated, and in patients with MCI an aOR = 3.2 (95% CI 1.1–9.1) for a history of diabetes mellitus and CVD was estimated.

Conclusions

In our study, there was an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and MCI in seropositive IgG patients to B. burgdorferi.

Key Summary Points

AbstractSection Aim

Establish if Borrelia burgdorferi infection is associated with Alzheimer's disease and/or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults.

AbstractSection Findings

In patients with Borrelia burgdorferi infection and Alzheimer's disease, an adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 3.65 (95% CI = 1.2−11.1) was estimated, which was similar to that of patients with Borrelia burgdorferi infection and MCI with an AOR = 3.2 (95% CI = 1.1−9.1).

AbstractSection Message

In our study, there was an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and MCI in seropositive IgG patients to B. burgdorferi.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude and acknowledge the important contributions of the participants and staff of the National Institute of Adult Older Persons Cultural Centers.

Funding

This work was supported by the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (FIS/IMSS Prot MD17/1688) and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico (Support Program for Graduate Studies 2017). The funder did not influence the design, methods, subject recruitment, data collections, analysis or preparation of the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Geriatría, UMAE Hospital de Traumatología y Ortopedia “Lomas Verdes”, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Naucalpan, Mexico, Mexico

    Alejandro Herrera-Landero

  2. Departamento de Neurología, Hospital de Especialidades, UMAE, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City, Mexico

    Luis Enrique Amaya-Sánchez

  3. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

    Carlos d´Hyver de las-Deses

  4. Unidad de Investigación de Medicina Basada en Evidencia, Hospital Infantil de México, Secretaria de Salud, Mexico City, Mexico

    Fortino Solórzano-Santos

  5. Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Infecciosas y Parasitarias, Hospital de Pediatría, UMAE, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Cuauhtémoc 330 Doctores, CP 06720, Mexico City, Mexico

    María Guadalupe Gordillo-Pérez

Authors
  1. Alejandro Herrera-Landero
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  2. Luis Enrique Amaya-Sánchez
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  3. Carlos d´Hyver de las-Deses
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  5. María Guadalupe Gordillo-Pérez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to María Guadalupe Gordillo-Pérez.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial or any other kind of personal conflicts with this paper.

Ethical approval

The National Committee of Scientific Research approved the study (R-2016-785-074). All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Written informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. Written informed consent was approved by the National Committee of Scientific Research.

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Herrera-Landero, A., Amaya-Sánchez, L.E., d´Hyver de las-Deses, C. et al. Borrelia burgdorferi as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Eur Geriatr Med 10, 493–500 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-018-0153-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-018-0153-0

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