However, among AD dementia patients, higher total MMP-9 levels at baseline correlated with a faster increase in ADAS-cog scores (indicative of worsening performance) for men (β=8.98; 95% CI, 0.27 to 17.68; p=0.042), but not for women (β=−2.31; 95% CI, −13.39 to 8.52; p=0.7) (Fig. 3D) and this effect in men remained significant after further adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors (β=9.10; 95% CI, 0.40 to 17.79; p=0.039). Here, MMP9 is linked to dementia.