Table 5 Clinical characteristics of participants based on cognitive stage transition over the study period

 Age, years

67.9 ± 7.8

75.9 ± 7.2

<0.001**

 Female

97 (59.1)

16 (45.7)

0.145*

 Lives alone

22 (13.4)

7 (20.0)

0.316*

 BMI, kg/m²

24.5 ± 2.9

24.0 ± 2.5

0.363**

 Education, years

10.6 ± 4.8

9.4 ± 5.4

0.192**

MMSE score, median (IQR)

27.0 (24.0-29.0)

23.0 (20.0-26.0)

<0.001‡

CDR score, median (IQR)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.0 (0.0-0.5)

0.001‡

CDR-SOB score, median (IQR)

0.0 (0.0-0.0)

0.5 (0.0-1.0)

<0.001‡

Gdps score, median (IQR)

7.0 (4.0-11.75)

11.0 (3.0-14.0)

0.090‡

Initial cognitive stage

<0.001*

 Cognitive unimpaired

130 (79.3)

49 (45.7)

 Mild cognitive impairment

34 (20.7)

19 (54.3)

 Hypertension

73/162 (45.1)

18 (51.4)

0.493*

 Diabetes mellitus

23 (14.0)

10 (28.6)

0.036*

 Dyslipidemia

68/161 (42.2)

8 (22.9)

0.033*

 Coronary artery disease

9 (5.5)

2 (5.7)

1.000†

 Cerebrovascular disease

6 (3.7)

3 (8.6)

0.197†

 Smoking

6 (3.7)

1 (2.9)

1.000†

 Pill intake of more than three

101 (61.6)

19 (54.3)

0.451*

Hippocampal volume, cm³

5.1 ± 0.8

4.4 ± 1.0

<0.001**

Cortical thickness, mm

3.08 ± 0.15

3.05 ± 0.14

0.289*

Positive amyloid pathology‡

27/152 (17.8)

23/32 (71.9)

<0.001*

APOE ε4 carrier

31 (18.9)

12 (34.3)

0.045*

Family history of dementia

43 (26.2)

13 (37.1)

0.393*

Initial serum NFL level, tertile

<0.001*

 Lowest tertile

64 (39.0)

2 (5.7)

 Middle tertile

54 (32.9)

12 (34.3)

 Highest tertile

46 (28.0)

21 (60.0)