Overview

• The Journal of Internal Medicine paper analyzed about 130,000 Stockholm residents aged 65 and older without dementia at baseline, with roughly four years of follow‑up during which 7% developed dementia.
• Compared with normal levels, moderate albuminuria (30–299 mg/g) was linked to a 25% higher adjusted risk of dementia and high levels (≥300 mg/g) to a 37% higher risk after accounting for kidney function.
• Associations were strongest for vascular dementia and for mixed dementia that includes vascular and Alzheimer’s features.
• The authors suggest a shared small‑vessel process with blood‑brain‑barrier dysfunction as a possible explanation, while noting the observational design cannot establish causation.
• They recommend routine urine albumin testing in patients with hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or kidney disease as part of early risk assessment.