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Ethnic differences in surviving Alzheimer's Disease

The on-line edition of Neurology (Nov. 14, 2007) reports that Latinos live about 40% longer than whites after being diagnosed with AD, and blacks live about 15% longer. Asian Americans and Native Americans appear to have about the same survival rate as whites.

"The 30,916 AD patients in the NACC were followed up for 2.4 ± 2.9 years (mean age 77.6 ± 6.5 years; 65% women; 19% nonwhite [12% African American, 4% Latino, 1.5% Asian, 0.5% American Indian, and 1% other]). Median survival was 4.8 years. African American and Latino AD patients had a lower adjusted hazard for mortality compared with white AD patients (African American hazard ratio [HR] 0.85, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.96; Latino HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.69). Asians and American Indians had similar adjusted hazards for mortality compared with white AD patients (p > 0.10 for both). African American and Latino autopsied AD patients had similar neuropathologic characteristics compared with white AD patients with similar clinical severity.

Conclusions: African American and Latino Alzheimer disease (AD) patients may have longer survival compared with white AD patients. Neuropathology findings did not explain survival differences by race. Determining the underlying factors behind survival differences may lead to longer survival for AD patients of all race/ethnic backgrounds."

Some researchers suspect underlying ethnic or cultural differences in the higher survival rate for minorities. Isn't that fascinating. Usually, if whites survive longer, poverty and access to health insurance among minorities are to blame; but when minorities live longer, there might be an ethnic difference in severity of disease?