Anemia Tied to Higher Dementia Risk - Summary - MDSpire

Anemia Tied to Higher Dementia Risk

Older adults with anemia showed elevated Alzheimer-related biomarkers and a higher hazard of dementia over follow-up

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • April 28, 2026

  • 3 min

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Objective:

To investigate the association between anemia and dementia risk in older adults, along with related blood biomarkers.

Approach:
    Key Findings:
    • Participants with anemia had a 66% higher hazard of developing dementia compared to those with normal hemoglobin levels.
    • Anemia was linked to higher baseline levels of p-tau217, NfL, and GFAP, indicating Alzheimer disease pathology.
    • The highest dementia risk was observed in participants with both anemia and elevated NfL levels, nearly fourfold higher than those without these factors.
    • Associations were stronger in men than women, with significant interactions for p-tau217 and NfL.
    Interpretation:

    The findings suggest a potential biological interplay between anemia and neurodegenerative processes, with the highest dementia risk occurring when low hemoglobin and elevated AD biomarkers coexisted.

    Limitations:
    • Hemoglobin and biomarker levels were measured only at baseline, limiting the assessment of changes over time.
    • Exclusion of participants with missing data may have led to underestimation of associations.
    • Most anemia cases were normocytic, limiting evaluation of other anemia subtypes.
    • The cohort was predominantly White, affecting generalizability.
    Conclusion:

    The study highlights the importance of monitoring anemia and related biomarkers in older adults to assess dementia risk.

    Sources:

Original Source(s)

Anemia Tied to Higher Dementia Risk

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • April 28, 2026

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