Effectiveness of B Vitamins and Their Interactions with Aspirin in Improving Cognitive Functioning in Older People with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Pooled Post-Hoc Analyses of Two Randomized Trials

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A randomized placebo-controlled trial found a significant negative interaction between aspirin and B vitamins in cognitive functioning in older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To validate this finding, we pooled data of this trial with that of a similar B-vitamin trial (VITACOG) to examine the effectiveness of B vitamins and their interactions with aspirin in improving global cognitive functioning and slowing brain atrophy in older people with MCI. DESIGN: Pooled post-hoc analyses of two randomized placebo-controlled trials. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 545 older people with MCI were included in the study. INTERVENTION: Placebo or B-vitamin supplements (vitamin B12, folic acid with or without vitamin B6) for 24 months. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was the Clinical Dementia Rating scale-global score (CDR-global). The secondary outcomes were CDR-sum of box score (CDR-SOB), memory Z-score, executive function Z-score, and whole brain atrophy rate. RESULTS: 71 (26.2%) and 83 (30.3%) subjects in the active and placebo group respectively were aspirin users. Overall, B vitamins reduced whole brain atrophy rate significantly (P = 0.003), but did not have significant effect on CDR-global, CDR-SOB, memory and executive function. Aspirin use had significant negative interaction effects on B vitamins in CDR-global and CDR-SOB (Beta = 0.993, P = 0.038, and Beta = 0.583, P = 0.009, respectively), but not in memory or executive function Z-scores. Among aspirin non-users, B-vitamin group subjects had more favourable changes in CDR-global and CDR-SOB (P = 0.019 and 0.057, respectively). B vitamins significantly slowed brain atrophy in aspirin non-users (P = 0.001), but not in aspirin users, though the interaction term was not significant (Beta = 0.192, P = 0.276). CONCLUSION: In older people with MCI, B vitamins had significantly favourable effects on global cognitive functioning and whole brain atrophy rate in those who were not taking aspirin, but not in aspirin users.