Inflammation biomarkers and near-term death in older men

Associations of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen with death may weaken over time. Combining both markers may improve prediction of death in older adults. In 5,828 Cardiovascular Health Study participants (United States, 1989-2000), 383 deaths (183 cardiovascular disease (CVD)) in years 1-3 (early) and 914 deaths (396 CVD) in years 4-8 (late) occurred. For men, when comparing highest to lowest quartiles, hazard ratios for early death were 4.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7, 6.3) for CRP and 4.1 (95% CI: 2.7, 6.4) for fibrinogen in models adjusted for CVD risk. For early CVD death, hazard ratios were 4.3 (95% CI: 2.2, 8.4) and 3.4 (95% CI: 1.8, 6.3), respectively. When comparing men in the highest quartiles of both biomarkers with those in the lowest, hazard ratios were 9.6 (95% CI: 4.3, 21.1) for early death and 13.5 (95% CI: 3.2, 56.5) for early CVD death. Associations were weaker for late deaths. For women, CRP (hazard ratio = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4, 3.9), but not fibrinogen (hazard ratio = 1.3, 95% CI: 0.8, 2.2), was associated with early death. Results were similar for CVD death. Neither was associated with late deaths. CRP and fibrinogen were more strongly associated with death in older men than women and more strongly associated with early than late death. Combining both markers may identify older men at greatest risk of near-term death.     

Cardiovascular disease mortality in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites

Despite a worse cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile, Hispanics have lower CVD mortality than non-Hispanic Whites in studies based on death certificates. This study examined 310 deaths that occurred between 1984 and 1998 among 1,862 Hispanic and non-Hispanic White participants in the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study, using medical records to classify cause of death. Among persons without diabetes, the age-adjusted all-cause mortality rate was 6.1/1,000 person-years in non-Hispanic Whites and 7.4/1,000 person-years in Hispanics. Among persons with diabetes, it was 24.3/1,000 person-years in non-Hispanic Whites and 21.9/1,000 person-years in Hispanics. Among nondiabetics, the age-adjusted CVD mortality rate was 2.5/1,000 person-years in non-Hispanic Whites and 1.6/1,000 person-years in Hispanics. Among diabetics, it was 12.9/1,000 person-years in non-Hispanic Whites and 8.8/1,000 person-years in Hispanics. Among nondiabetics, the adjusted hazard ratio for CVD death in Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic Whites was 0.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34, 1.23). The hazard ratio for coronary heart disease death was 0.95 (95% CI: 0.35, 2.59). Among diabetics, the hazard ratio for CVD death, after adjustment for conventional and diabetes risk factors, was 0.44 (95% CI: 0.26, 0.74), and for coronary heart disease death it was 0.43 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.91). A statistically significant decreased risk of CVD death was observed only in male Hispanics with diabetes. Competing mortality or factors that interact with diabetes may explain these differences.     

Differences in prognostic factors and survival among White men and Black men with prostate cancer, California, 1995-2004

The authors conducted a study to determine whether differences in prostate cancer survival between White men and Black men are reduced or eliminated after accounting for differences in prognostic factors. Using population-based statewide cancer registry data, the authors analyzed data from a cohort of 122,375 non-Hispanic White men and Black men from California who were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1995 and 2004 and followed through 2004. Compared with White men, Black men were characterized by younger age at diagnosis, more distant stage, less treatment with surgery or radiation therapy, higher tumor grades, lower neighborhood socioeconomic status, and more recent year of diagnosis. Adjusted only for age, the hazard ratio for prostate cancer death (Blacks vs. Whites) was 1.61 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.50, 1.72). Additional adjustment for potentially modifiable factors (stage and treatment) eliminated most of the racial difference in survival (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.18). The racial difference in survival was completely eliminated after further adjustment for other factors (grade, socioeconomic status, and year of diagnosis) (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.06). Thus, the large difference in prostate cancer survival between White men and Black men was completely explained by known prognostic factors, with potentially modifiable disparities playing the largest role.     

Passive smoking and 20-year cardiovascular disease mortality among nonsmoking wives, Evans County, Georgia.

The association of passive smoking and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality was assessed in a cohort of 513 rural, married Black and White women who were disease-free and self-described as never-smokers at baseline in 1960. Over a 20-year period, 76 of 147 total deaths were attributed to CVD. Relative risk estimates adjusted for age, cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass from proportional hazards models were 1.59 for CVD (95% CI = 0.99, 2.57) and 1.39 (CI = 0.99, 1.94) for all cause mortality among women with husbands who smoked cigarettes.     

Self-reported diabetes mellitus and risk of mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in Takayama: a population-based prospective cohort study in Japan

Background

Diabetes mellitus has been reported to be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and higher risk of CVD among women than that among men has been observed in many studies. Further, the association of diabetes with increasing risk of cancer has also been reported. Well-designed studies conducted among men and women in the general Japanese population remain scarce.

Methods

Our cohort consisted of 13355 men and 15724 women residing in Takayama, Japan, in 1992. At the baseline, the subjects reported diabetes in a questionnaire. Any deaths occurring in the cohort until 1999 were noted by using data from the Office of the National Vital Statistics. The risk of mortality was separately assessed for men and women by using a Cox proportional hazard model after adjusting for age; smoking status; body mass index (BMI); physical activity; years of education; history of hypertension; and intake of total energy, vegetables, fat, and alcohol.

Results

Diabetes significantly increased the risk of mortality from all causes [hazard ratio (HR): 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.64] and from coronary heart disease (CHD) (HR: 2.96, 95% CI: 1.59-5.50) among men, and that from all causes (HR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.34-2.26) and cancer (HR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.16-3.05) among women. Diabetes was not significantly associated with mortality from CHD among women.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that diabetes increases the risk of mortality from CVD among men and that from cancer among women. The absence of increased risk of mortality from CHD among women may suggest a particular pattern in the Japanese population.Key words: Diabetes mellitus, Mortality, Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, Cohort study     

Association of medical, physiological, behavioural and socio-economic factors with elevated mortality in men of Irish heritage in West Scotland.

BACKGROUND: Men with patrilineal Irish descent from the immigrations of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have higher death rates from 'all-causes' and, specifically, cardiovascular disease (CVD) than the general population of the West of Scotland. METHODS: A total of 5766 male employees from 27 workplace settings were examined between 1970 and 1973. Surname analysis identified 15 per cent of these men as of patrilineal Irish heritage. For those who have since died, the date and cause of death was obtained. Cox's proportional hazards model was used to compare the mortality risk of those with Irish and non-Irish surnames, and to investigate established medical, physiological, behavioural and socio-economic risk factors (acting in early and later life) as possible explanations for this excess mortality. RESULTS: The relative risk of death from all causes for the Irish of 1.26 (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) (1.12, 1.43)) was reduced to 1.12 (95 per cent CI (0.99, 1.26)) by including established risk factors in the model. The relative risk of CVD mortality of 1.51 (95 per cent CI (1.29, 1.77)) for the Irish was reduced to 1.35 (95 per cent CI (1.14, 1.58)) by the same adjustments. The elevated all-cause mortality of the Irish was mainly attributable to cardiovascular deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking was only able to 'explain' a small amount of the excess all-cause and CVD mortality of men with patrilineal Irish descent. Relative deprivation during childhood and adulthood contributed to the high Irish mortality. However, there remains a substantial excess of premature deaths among Irish men which is unaccounted for by established risk factors.     

Exercise, body mass index, caloric intake, and cardiovascular mortality

BACKGROUND: The association of physical inactivity and elevated body mass index (BMI) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is well established. The relationship of dietary caloric intake and CVD risk is less certain. METHODS: The epidemiologic follow-up of the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1971-1992) was examined to determine the relationship of caloric intake, BMI, and physical activity to CVD mortality. Of 14,407 participants, 9790 subjects aged 25 to 74 years met inclusion criteria. The CVD mortality rate was the outcome. RESULTS: During the 17 years of follow-up, there were 3183 deaths, 1531 of which were due to CVD (9.11/1000 person-years). People with relatively less physical activity, lower caloric intake, and who were overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m(2)) and obese (BMI > or =30 kg/m(2)) had a less favorable baseline CVD risk profile than did those who were more active and of normal weight and had greater caloric intake. Age- and race/ethnicity-adjusted CVD mortality rates were highest among those with the least physical activity and lowest caloric intake, and who were overweight or obese. Moreover, subjects of normal weight who exercised most were more likely to have high caloric intake and lower CVD mortality (5.9 vs 14.7 per 1000 person-years, p =0.01) than subjects who were obese and exercised least. In Cox regression analysis, controlling for relevant CVD risk factors, least physical activity was independently associated with increased CVD mortality (hazard ratio=1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.13-1.53); and obesity was associated with increased CVD mortality (hazard ratio=1.24, 95% CI=1.06-1.44). Although highest dietary caloric intake was associated with reduced CVD mortality (hazard ratio=0.83, 95% CI=0.74-0.93), after adjusting for physical activity and BMI, there was no significant association of highest caloric intake with CVD mortality (hazard ratio=0.91, 95% CI=0.81-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: In this large general population sample, lower levels of physical activity and obesity were independently associated with decreased CVD survival. Moreover, when BMI, physical activity, and other relevant characteristics were taken into account, caloric intake was not related to CVD mortality.     

Mortality from cancer and other causes among airline cabin attendants in Germany, 1960-1997

Airline cabin attendants are exposed to several potential occupational hazards, including cosmic radiation. Little is known about the mortality pattern and cancer risk of these persons. The authors conducted a historical cohort study among cabin attendants who had been employed by two German airlines in 1953 or later. Mortality follow-up was completed through December 31, 1997. The authors computed standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for specific causes of death using German population rates. The effect of duration of employment was evaluated with Poisson regression. The cohort included 16,014 women and 4,537 men (approximately 250,000 person-years of follow-up). Among women, the total number of deaths (n = 141) was lower than expected (SMR = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67, 0.94). The SMR for all cancers (n = 44) was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.54, 1.17), and the SMR for breast cancer (n = 19) was 1.28 (95% CI: 0.72, 2.20). The SMR did not increase with duration of employment. Among men, 170 deaths were observed (SMR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.28). The SMR for all cancers (n = 21) was 0.71 (95% CI: 0.41, 1.18). The authors found a high number of deaths from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (SMR = 40; 95% CI: 28.9, 55.8) and from aircraft accidents among the men. In this cohort, ionizing radiation probably contributed less to the small excess in breast cancer mortality than reproductive risk factors. Occupational causes seem not to contribute strongly to the mortality of airline cabin attendants.     

A cohort study on cerebrovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly population in rural areas in Jiangxi Province,China

To clarify the risk factors of CVD deaths in rural areas in Jiangxi Province, China, a cohort study was carried out from September 1, 1994 through December 31, 2000 involving 50,252 participants aged 40 years or older in 4 counties. Among the 3,429 deaths, 671 cases (398 males and 273 females) died of CVD. In addition, excluding 183 cases with a previous history of CVD, 632 CVD deaths out of 50,069 subjects were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models. The multivariate hazard ratio (HR) for CVD mortality significantly increased in parallel with age, blood pressure and degree of liking for salty foods (p for trend < 0.01). The multivariate HR for CVD mortality of ex-drinkers was 1.55 (95% CI: 1.04, 2.31) compared with non-drinkers. The multivariate HR for CVD mortality of subjects who ate meat once or twice per month was 0.75 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.91) compared with those who never ate meat or seldom. There was no significant relationship between smoking and CVD mortality. Our results indicated that the main risk factors for CVD mortality were advancing age, high-normal blood pressure and hypertension. The risk in these areas was lower in subjects who disliked salty foods and those who ate meat once or twice per month.     

四川省凉山彝族自治州静脉吸毒人群死亡率及死因的前瞻性队列研究

目的　了解四川省凉山彝族自治州静脉吸毒人群死亡率及死因。方法　于 2002 年 11月筛选和招募静脉吸毒人群队列376人,调查其社会人口学和吸毒行为特征。队列随访时间为 1 年,计算静脉吸毒人群的死亡率和死因构成,对死亡危险因素采用单因素和多因素 Cox回归分析。结果队列随访1年中,死亡28人,死亡率为77.32/1000 人年(95%CI:48.68~105.95),标准化死亡比为47.62(95%CI:31.63~68.71)。主要死因是吸毒过量,占全部死因的64.3%(18/28)。多因素Cox回归分析未发现与死亡(包括全部死因)有统计学关联的变量;但发现社会人口学因素中的单身和吸毒行为中的吸毒年限(≥9年)两个变量与吸毒过量死亡有统计学关联(P<0.05),其危险比分别是4.51(95%CI:1.03~19.67)和2.77(95%CI:1.10~7.00)。结论　吸毒过量致死是凉山州静脉吸毒者的主要死亡原因,需要进一步研究与吸毒过量死亡有关的因素以及干预对策。     

Anthropometric measures and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality: An 18 years follow-up

BackgroundThe contribution of anthropometric measures to predict mortality in normal-weight subjects is unclear. We aimed to study the association of central obesity measures, e.g., waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), with the risk of all-cause and CVD mortality.MethodsIn a prospective population-based Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, 8287 participants aged ≥30 y, followed for a median of 18 years. The association of WC, WHR and WHtR with the risk for mortality was estimated using multivariate Cox proportional hazard models in different BMI groups.ResultsWe documented 821 deaths, of which 251 were related to CVD mortality. Normal weight individuals with central obesity were significantly at increased risk of all-cause (HR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.10, 2.1) and CVD mortality (HR: 1.6; 95% CI: 0.92, 2.9) compared with normal-weight individuals without central obesity; the risk remained significant only in women. Also, normal-weight women (not men) with high WHR were at increased risk of all-cause (HR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.0, 2.8) and CVD mortality (HR: 5.9; 95% CI: 1.5, 23.2). High WHtR increased the risk of all-cause (HR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.2, 1.8) and CVD mortality (HR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2, 2.7) which remained significant in normal-weight men and women. All central obesity indicators were significantly associated with all-cause and CVD mortality in subjects aged under 65.ConclusionEven in normal-weight individuals, WC and WHR in women and WHtR in both sexes are predictors of all-cause and CVD mortality. WHtR shows a stronger association, especially in the population aged under 65.     

The association between educational level and risk of cardiovascular disease fatality among women with cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: The inverse relation of socioeconomic status with incident cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) has been well established. However, few data are available describing this relation among ethnically diverse women with prevalent CVD. Using education as a proxy for socioeconomic status, we examined its relation to CVD mortality among women with established CVD. SUBJECTS: Data from 2,157 women with CVD at baseline, who participated in nine long-term U.S. cohort studies, were pooled. METHODS: Cox regression models adjusted for history of diabetes mellitus, total cholesterol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking, race/ethnicity, and age at baseline were used to estimate hazard ratios for CVD mortality between non-high school graduates and high school graduates. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up time of 11.5 years, 615 CVD deaths were observed. There was an age-dependent (p = .003) inverse association between education and CVD mortality among women with CVD. At age 60, the risk of dying due to CVD among non-high school graduates was more than twice greater than that of high school graduates (hazard ratio = 2.34; 95% CI 1.27-4.29). At age 65, the hazard ratio decreased to 1.31 (95% CI 1.00-1.71). By age 70, there was no difference in the hazard of dying between high school graduates and nongraduates (hazard ratio = 1.01; 95% CI .85-1.21). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that among women with CVD, educational level was a significant, and age-dependent, predictor of fatal CVD independent of other traditional risk factors. These women are an important high-risk population to target secondary prevention and educational efforts.     

Body size and breast cancer risk in black women and white women: the Carolina Breast Cancer Study

The relation between body size and breast cancer risk was investigated in a population-based, case-control study of Black women (350 cases, 353 controls) and White women (523 cases, 471 controls) from North Carolina, aged 20-74 years in 1993-1996. Logistic regression analyses compared tertiles of each body size variable, adjusting for age and breast cancer risk factors (results shown for highest relative to lowest tertile). Among premenopausal women, body mass index (kg/m2) was inversely associated with breast cancer (odds ratio (OR) = 0.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.26, 0.80) for Whites but not for Blacks. There was essentially no association among postmenopausal women. Higher waist/hip ratio, adjusted for body mass index, increased risk for all women. Odds ratios for Black and White premenopausal women were 2.50 (95% CI: 1.10, 5.67) and 2.44 (95% CI: 1.17, 5.09), respectively; odds ratios for Black and White postmenopausal women were 1.62 (95% CI: 0.70, 3.79) and 1.64 (95% CI: 0.88, 3.07), respectively. Findings for body mass index differed among Black women when stratified by age (<50 years) (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.25, 1.01) instead of menopausal status. Thus, the associations of breast cancer with body mass index and waist/hip ratio among Black women are similar to those documented for Whites, despite different body size profiles on average.     

Evidence for a black-white crossover in all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality in an older population: the North Carolina EPESE

OBJECTIVES: This cohort study evaluated racial differences in mortality among Blacks and Whites 65 years and older. METHODS: A total of 4136 men and women (1875 Whites and 2261 Blacks) living in North Carolina were interviewed in 1986 and followed up for mortality until 1994. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause and cause-specific mortality were calculated, with adjustment for sociodemographic and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors. RESULTS: Black persons had higher mortality rates than Whites at young-old age (65-80 years) but had significantly lower mortality rates after age 80. Black persons age 80 or older had a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR of Blacks vs Whites, 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.62, 0.90) and of CHD mortality (HR 0.44: 95% CI = 0.30, 0.66). These differences were not observed for other causes of death. CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences in mortality are modified by age. This mortality crossover could be attributed to selective survival of the healthiest oldest Blacks or to other biomedical factors affecting longevity after age 80. Because the crossover was observed for CHD deaths only, age overreporting by Black older persons seems an unlikely explanation of the mortality differences.     

Perceived stress and cause-specific mortality among men and women: results from a prospective cohort study

The authors assessed the effect of psychological stress on total and cause-specific mortality among men and women. In 1981-1983, the 12,128 Danish participants in the Copenhagen City Heart Study were asked two questions on stress intensity and frequency and were followed in a nationwide registry until 2004, with <0.1% loss to follow-up. Sex differences were found in the relations between stress and mortality (p = 0.02). After adjustments, men with high stress versus low stress had higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15, 1.52). This finding was most pronounced for deaths due to respiratory diseases (high vs. low stress: HR = 1.79, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.91), external causes (HR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.65, 5.71), and suicide (HR = 5.91, 95% CI: 2.47, 14.16). High stress was related to a 2.59 (95% CI: 1.20, 5.61) higher risk of ischemic heart disease mortality for younger, but not older, men. In general, the effects of stress were most pronounced among younger and healthier men. No associations were found between stress and mortality among women, except among younger women with high stress, who experienced lower cancer mortality (HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.92). Future preventive strategies may be targeted toward stress as a risk factor for premature death among middle-aged, presumably healthy men.     

Self-rated cardiovascular risk and 15-year cardiovascular mortality

PURPOSE Many individuals perceive their cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk to be lower than established clinical tools would estimate, yet little is known about the long-term consequences of holding such optimistic beliefs. We evaluated whether lower self-ratings of CVD risk are associated with lower rates of CVD death after addressing potential confounding by an extensive set of social and biologic CVD risk factors.METHODS We conducted a 15-year mortality surveillance study of adults aged 35 to 75 years from southeastern New England (n = 2,816) who had no history of myocardial infarction. Baseline evaluation in 1990–1992 included household interview, anthropomorphic measures, and laboratory analyses. Outcomes were obtained using the National Death Index records through December 2005.RESULTS Rating oneself to be at lower-than-average risk for one’s age and sex was associated with lower rates of CVD mortality among men (hazard ratio [HR]=0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.2–0.7) but not among women (HR = 0.9; 95% CI, 0.5–1.7). None of the following weakened the findings among men: adjustment for baseline Framingham Risk Score, propensity score adjustment for both social and biologic factors, and censoring the first 2 years of surveillance.CONCLUSIONS Lower self-ratings of CVD risk are independently associated with lower rates of CVD death among men.     

Latino risk-adjusted mortality in the men screened for the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial

Latinos are now the largest minority in the United States, but their distinctive health needs and mortality patterns remain poorly understood. Proportional hazards regressions were used to compare Latino versus White risk- and income-adjusted mortality over 25 years' follow-up from 5,846 Latino and 300,647 White men screened for the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial. Men were aged 35-57 years and residing in 14 states when screened in 1973-1975. Data on coronary heart disease risk factors, self-reported race/ethnicity, and home addresses were obtained at baseline; income was estimated by linking addresses to census data. Mortality follow-up through 1999 was obtained using the National Death Index. The fully adjusted Latino/White hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.82 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 0.87), based on 1,085 Latino and 73,807 White deaths; this pattern prevailed over time and across states (thus, likely across Latino subgroups). Hazard ratios were significantly greater than one for stroke (hazard ratio = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.68), liver cancer (hazard ratio = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.37), and infection (hazard ratio = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.24, 2.32). A substudy found only minor racial/ethnic differences in the quality of Social Security numbers, birth dates, soundex-adjusted names, and National Death Index searches. Results were not likely an artifact of return migration or incomplete mortality data.     

The Effect of Parity on Cause-Specific Mortality Among Married Men and Women

The objective of this study was to examine mortality differentials among men and women by parity for deaths from cardio-vascular disease (CVD), cancer and other causes. The census-based Israel Longitudinal Mortality Study II (1995–2004) was used to identify 71,733 married men and 62,822 married women (45–89 years). During the 9-year follow-up period, 19,347 deaths were reported. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for age, origin, and social class were used. A non-linear association between parity and CVD mortality was detected for men and women. Excess CVD mortality risks were observed among middle-aged women with no children (hazard ratio [HR] 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 3.96) and among middle-aged women and men with 8+ children (HR_women 1.64, CI 1.02, 2.65; HR_men 1.40, CI 1.01, 1.93) compared to those with two children. No clear pattern of association between cancer mortality and parity was apparent for men. Elderly women with 8+ children showed reduced mortality risks from reproductive cancers (HR 0.22, CI 0.05, 0.91). Similar parity-related mortality patterns were observed for men and women for deaths from CVD and other causes indicating biosocial pathways. The association between parity and cancer mortality differed by gender, age and type of cancer.     

Eligibility for obesity treatment and risk of mortality in men

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality associated with each outcome of the NIH obesity treatment algorithm and to examine the effects of cardiorespiratory fitness on the risk of mortality associated with these outcomes. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The NIH obesity treatment algorithm was applied to 18,666 men (20 to 64 years of age) from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study in Dallas, TX, examined between 1979 and 1995. Risk of all-cause and CVD mortality was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: A total of 7029 men (37.7%) met the criteria for needing weight loss treatment [overweight (BMI = 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 or WC > 102 cm) with > or =2 CVD risk factors or obese (BMI > or = 30 kg/m2)]. Mortality surveillance through 1996 identified 435 deaths (151 from CVD) during 191,364 man-years of follow-up. Compared with the normal weight reference group, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for death from all causes were 0.63 (0.45 to 0.88), 1.23 (0.98 to 1.54), 1.05 (0.60 to 1.85), and 1.71 (1.64 to 2.31) for men who were overweight with <2 CVD risk factors, overweight with > or = 2 CVD risk factors, obese with <2 CVD risk factors, and obese with > or =2 CVD risk factors, respectively. Corresponding hazard ratios for CVD mortality were 0.72 (0.38 to 1.37), 1.67 (1.12 to 2.50), 1.69 (0.67 to 4.30), and 3.31 (2.07 to 5.30). Including physical fitness as a covariate significantly attenuated all risk estimates. DISCUSSION: The NIH obesity treatment algorithm is useful in identifying men at increased risk of premature mortality; however, including an assessment of fitness would help improve risk stratification among all groups of patients.     

Relation of serum ascorbic acid to mortality among US adults.

PURPOSE: To examine the relation between serum ascorbic acid (SAA), a marker of dietary intake (including supplements), and cause-specific mortality. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from a probability sample of 8,453 Americans age > or = 30 years at baseline enrolled in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II), who were followed for mortality endpoints. We calculated relative hazard ratios as measures of disease association comparing the mortality rates in three biologically relevant SAA categories. RESULTS: Participants with normal to high SAA levels had a marginally significant 21% to 25% decreased risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) (p for trend = 0.09) and a 25% to 29% decreased risk of all-cause mortality (p for trend <0.001) compared to participants with low levels. Because we determined that gender modified the association between SAA levels and cancer death, we analyzed these associations stratified by gender. Among men, normal to high SAA levels were associated with an approximately 30% decreased risk of cancer deaths, whereas such SAA levels were associated with an approximately two-fold increased risk of cancer deaths among women. This association among women persisted even after adjustment for baseline prevalent cancer and exclusion for early cancer death or exclusion for prevalent cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Low SAA levels were marginally associated with an increased risk of fatal CVD and significantly associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Low SAA levels were also a risk factor for cancer death in men, but unexpectedly were associated with a decreased risk of cancer death in women. If the association between low SAA levels and all-cause mortality is causal, increasing the consumption of ascorbic acid, and thereby SAA levels, could decrease the risk of death among Americans with low ascorbic acid intakes.