Association between fibrosis-4 index and cognitive impairment in elderly patients with hypertension: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

The fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) is a noninvasive fibrosis test that is recommended for patients who are at risk of developing hepatic fibrosis. The aim of the study was to explore the correlation between FIB-4 index and the decline of cognitive function among older patients with hypertension. The study used a cross-sectional design to analyze data obtained from the NHANES 2011–2014. The significance of the FIB-4 index correlation with cognitive function in individuals over the age of 60 was evaluated via multivariate regression models. The nonlinear link was described and fitted smoothed curves. There were a total of 2039 participants in the study, and those with a higher FIB-4 index were more susceptible to developing cognitive decline. In the completely adjusted model, the association remained statistically significant between the FIB-4 index and poor cognitive function as measured by CERAD: Total Score (OR = 0.72, 0.57−0.91), Animal Fluency Score (OR = 0.66, 0.48−0.91), and Digit Symbol Score (OR = 0.36, 0.17−0.77). A nonlinear association was found between the FIB-4 and poor cognitive ability: Total Score, CERAD: Score Delayed Recall, Digit Symbol Score, and Animal Fluency Score. In elderly patients with hypertension, a high FIB-4 index is correlated with an increased prevalence of cognitive decline. Hence, the FIB-4 index could potentially serve as a valuable tool for determining individuals with hypertension who are susceptible to both liver-related complications and cognitive impairment.