Comorbidities associated with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease in the United States

BackgroundKnowledge 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.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities prior to and after diagnosis with MCI/AD in the real world.MethodsThis 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.ResultsAmong 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.ConclusionsAmong 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.