Risk of incident dementia and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A large UK population-based study

Although cognitive impairment and dementia are common comorbidities in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), estimates of incidence following a diagnosis of COPD are inconclusive. To determine the incidence of cognitive impairment and dementia in people with and without a COPD diagnosis. A population-based study using UK General Practice (GP) health records from The Health Improvement Network database was conducted. Patients with confirmed COPD diagnosis, ≥40 years old, were matched to up to four subjects without a COPD diagnosis by age, sex and GP practice. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the incidence rates of cognitive impairment and dementia. Of patients with COPD (n = 62,148), 9% developed cognitive impairment, compared with 7% of subjects without COPD (n = 230,076), p