Risky drinking and cognitive impairment in community residents aged 50 and over

Figures & data

Table 1. Baseline characteristics (N = 15,582).

Mean (sd) age [N = 15,582]	62.3 (7.7)
Ethnicity [N = 15,582]	White British: 92.6%
	Other: 7.4%
Sex (N = 15,605)	Male: 25%
	Female: 75%
Marital status [N = 15,582]	Married: 67.4%
	Widowed: 6.3%
	Separated: 1.8%
	Divorced: 11.3%
	Civic partnership: 0.6%
	Co-habiting: 6.4%
	Single: 6.2%
Educational qualification [N = 15,582]	Secondary: 15.5%
	Post-Secondary:11.7%
	Vocational: 20.3%
	Undergraduate:32.8% Post-graduate: 16.4%
	Doctorate:3.3%
Past or current smoker [N = 14,977]	54.6%: No
	45.4%: Yes
Body Mass Index [N = 15,441]	<25: 33.6%
	25 and over: 66.4%
Mean (sd) AUDIT-C score [N = 15,675]	3.4 (2.2)
Mean (sd) PHQ9 score [N = 15,675]	11.5 (3.7)
Mean (sd) GAD7 score [N = 15,675]	8.4 (2.9)
IQCODE – Subject (N = 15,675)	48.9 (7.0)
IQCODE – Informant (N = 10,923)	48.8 (4.3)
IADL (N = 15,675)	4.3 (2.8)
Digit Span (N = 15,651)	7.3 (1.8)
Paired Associated Learning (N = 5651)	4.5 (1.0)
Verbal Reasoning (N = 15,639)	31.8 (9.8)
Self-Ordered Search (N = 15,651)	7.5 (2.7)

Figure 1. Score distribution for cognitive function*.

Table 2. Univariate analysis for drinking risk at baseline.

	Low risk drinking/Non-Drinking	Risky Drinking	Result (χ2 = Chi-squared test) (t = Student t-test)
Age	63.0	62.2	t = 3.49 (df = 1650); p < 0.001
Sex
Male	7.8%	92.2%	χ2 = 12.5 (df = 1); p < 0.001
Female	9.7%	90.3%
Ethnicity
White British	8.8%	91.2%	χ2 = 101.2 (df = 1) p < 0.001
Other	18.5%	81.5%
Marital status
Married	87.1%	92.1%	χ2 = 97.6 (df = 1) p < 0.001
Other	12.9%	7.9%
Education
Up to Secondary School	9.1%	90.9%	χ2 = 17.4 (df = 1) p < 0.001
Other	11.9%	88.1%
Smoking
Current/Ex-tobacco smoker	7.4%	92.6%	χ2 = 20.4 (df = 1) p < 0.001
Never smoked tobacco	9.5%	90.5%
Weight
Overweight	64.8%	66.6%	χ2 = 1.1 (df = 1); p = 0.31
Healthy weight	35.2%	33.4%
IQCODE – Subject	44.4	49.3	t = −12.2 (df 1534); p < 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.72
IQCODE – Informant	48.6	48.8	t = −1.2 (df 903); p = 0.25
IADL	2.5	2.8	t = −2.9 (df 1796); p = 0.004 Cohen’s d = 0.10
DS	7.2	7.3	t = −1.5 (df 1737); p = 0.13 Cohen’s d = 0.05
PALT	4.5	4.4	t = −1.7 (df 1800); p = 0.08 Cohen’s d = 0.05
VR	31.1	31.9	t = −3.3 (df 1808); p = 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.09
SOS	7.3	7.5	t = −3.0 (df 1764); p = 0.003 Cohen’s d = 0.08
PHQ-9	9.7	11.6	t = −11.6 (df 1578); p < 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.55
GAD-7	7.0	8.6	t = −12.4 (df 1597); p < 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.55

Note: DS, Digit Span; PALT, Paired Association Learning Test; VR, Verbal Reasoning; SOS, Self-Ordered Search.

Table 3. Drinking status at baseline as predictor of cognitive function and functional decline at year 2.

	Chi-squared test odds ratio^a	95% C.I.	p value
DS	1.28	1.07–1.52	<0.01
VR	1.10	0.95–1.28	0.12
SOS	1.27	1.07–1.51	<0.01
IADL	1.11	0.74–1.27	0.12
IQCODE – Subject	1.28	1.10–1.48	0.01

a Controlling for Age, Sex, BMI, Marital Status, Ethnicity, Educational Status, Depression and Anxiety.

Table 4. Baseline drinking status and cognitive function at Year 2.

Variable^a	Low risk drinking/Non-drinking at baseline	Risky drinking at baseline	Result (χ2 = Chi-squared test) (t = Student t-test)
Digit Span Year 2	7.7	7.5	t = 3.26 (df1237), p = 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.12
Paired Associated Learning Year 2	4.7	4.7	t = 1.75 (df1259), p = 0.88 Cohen’s d = 0.06
Verbal Reasoning Year 2	37.9	36.4	t = 3.78 (df1222), p < 0.001 Cohen’s d = 0.14
Self-ordered search Year 2	7.8	7.5	t = 3.06 (df1207), p = 0.03 Cohen’s d = 0.11

a Controlling for Age, Sex, BMI, Marital Status, Ethnicity, Educational Status, Depression and Anxiety.

Table 5. Baseline risky drinking status as a predictor of cognitive function at Year 2.

	Chi-squared test odds ratio^a	95% C.I.	p value
Digit Span	1.56	1.08–2.27	0.02
Verbal Reasoning	1.34	0.98–1.83	0.07
Self-Ordered Search	1.59	1.00–2.56	0.05

^aControlling for Age, Sex, Marital Status, Ethnicity, Educational Status, Depression and Anxiety.