Departments of a Neurology, b Diabetes and Endocrine Internal Medicine and c Radiology,

Chronic kidney disease · Albuminuria · Glomerular filtration rate · Cerebral small vessel disease · Cognitive impairment · Elderly · Diabetes · Magnetic resonance imaging Background/Aims: In recent years, the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cognitive impairment has been attracting attention. Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is also associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. However, it is still unknown whether CKD markers are associated with cognitive impairment independently of SVD in el-derly diabetic patients. Methods: Seventy-nine type 2 diabetic patients (mean age, 76.0 years) were enrolled in the present study. CKD was defined as the presence of albuminuria and/or a low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m 2). SVD was evaluated by the presence and severity of silent brain infarcts (SBIs) and white matter lesions (WMLs) on brain magnetic resonance imaging. Neuropsychological tests were assessed using four validated cognitive instruments. Results: In multiple linear regression analyses, albuminuria was associ-ated with worse modified Stroop Color Word scores (β = 0.284, p = 0.017) and low eGFR was associated with reduced Digit Symbol Substitution scores (β = –0.224, p = 0.026) after adjust