MELBOURNE, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A genetic analysis has found that low-dose aspirin was associated with a 70 percent lower risk of dementia among older people with a particular genetic profile, raising the possibility of a more personalized approach to dementia prevention.
The study analyzed genetic data from more than 13,500 participants in the ASPREE Trial (Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) to examine whether genetic factors influenced aspirin's effect on dementia risk, according to a statement released Tuesday by Australia's Monash University.
Among participants in the highest 20 percent for a genetic score linked to platelet count, 1 percent of those taking aspirin developed dementia, compared with 3.3 percent of those receiving a placebo, a difference associated with about a 70 percent lower relative risk, according to the study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association.
However, aspirin was also associated with a higher risk of serious bleeding in this group. Major bleeding occurred in 4.4 percent of participants taking aspirin, compared with 2.1 percent receiving a placebo, the study noted.
Lead author Peter Fransquet, a research fellow at Monash's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said the findings suggested genetics could potentially help identify people who may benefit from preventive treatment, "rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach."
Researchers said the finding needs to be confirmed in other studies and tested in a clinical trial designed specifically for people with the genetic profile. They cautioned that people should not take aspirin to prevent dementia based on the study without consulting a doctor. ■
