Body mass index, playing position, race, and the cardiovascular mortality of retired professional football players

Concern exists about cardiovascular disease (CVD) in professional football players. We examined whether playing position and size influence CVD mortality in 3,439 National Football League players with ≥ 5 pension-credited playing seasons from 1959 to 1988. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) compared player mortality through 2007 to the United States population of men stratified by age, race, and calendar year. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated associations of playing-time body mass index (BMI), race, and position with CVD mortality. Overall player mortality was significantly decreased (SMR 0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48 to 0.59) as was mortality from cancer (SMR 0.58, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.72), and CVD (SMR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.81). CVD mortality was increased for defensive linemen (SMR 1.42, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.92) but not for offensive linemen (SMR 0.70, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.05). Defensive linemen's cardiomyopathy mortality was also increased (SMR 5.34, 95% CI 2.30 to 10.5). Internal analyses found that CVD mortality was increased for players of nonwhite race (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.51). After adjusting for age, race, and calendar year, CVD mortality was increased for those with a playing-time BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (hazard ratio 2.02, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.85) and for defensive linemen compared to offensive linemen (hazard ratio 2.07, 95% CI 1.24 to 3.46). In conclusion, National Football League players from the 1959 through 1988 seasons had decreased overall mortality but those with a playing-time BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 had 2 times the risk of CVD mortality compared to other players and African-American players and defensive linemen had higher CVD mortality compared to other players even after adjusting for playing-time BMI.     

Relationship of walking to mortality among US adults with diabetes

BACKGROUND: Walking is associated with reduced diabetes incidence, but few studies have examined whether it reduces mortality among those who already have diabetes. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the association between walking and the risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality among persons with diabetes. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of a representative sample of the US population. SETTING: Interviewer-administered survey in the general community. PARTICIPANTS: We sampled 2896 adults 18 years and older with diabetes as part of the 1990 and 1991 National Health Interview Survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause and CVD mortality for 8 years. RESULTS: Compared with inactive individuals, those who walked at least 2 h/wk had a 39% lower all-cause mortality rate (hazard rate ratio [HRR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48-0.78; 2.8% vs 4.4% per year) and a 34% lower CVD mortality rate (HRR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.45-0.96; 1.4% vs 2.1% per year). We controlled for sex, age, race, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters), smoking, and comorbid conditions. The mortality rates were lowest for persons who walked 3 to 4 h/wk (all-cause mortality HRR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.71; CVD mortality HRR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.24-0.91) and for those who reported that their walking involved moderate increases in heart and breathing rates (all-cause mortality HRR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.41-0.80; CVD mortality HRR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.43-1.09). The protective association of physical activity was observed for persons of varying sex, age, race, body mass index, diabetes duration, comorbid conditions, and physical limitations. CONCLUSIONS: Walking was associated with lower mortality across a diverse spectrum of adults with diabetes. One death per year may be preventable for every 61 people who could be persuaded to walk at least 2 h/wk.     

Changes in body mass index following newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and risk of cardiovascular mortality: A cohort study of 8486 primary-care patients

AimsElevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study explored the association between BMI changes in the first 18 months of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and the risk of long-term CVD mortality.MethodsA total of 8486 patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and no previous history of CVD or cancer were identified from 84 primary-care centres in Sweden. During the first year after diagnosis, patients were grouped according to BMI change: ‘Increase’, or ≥ +1 BMI unit; ‘unchanged’, or between +1 and–1 BMI unit; and ‘decrease’, or ≤ –1 BMI unit. Associations between BMI change and CVD mortality, defined as death from stroke, myocardial infarction or sudden death, were estimated using adjusted Cox proportional hazards models (NCT 01121315).ResultsBaseline mean age was 60.0 years and mean BMI was 30.2 kg/m². Patients were followed for up to 9 years (median: 4.6 years). During the first 18 months, 53.4% had no change in their BMI, while 32.2% decreased and 14.4% increased. Compared with patients with unchanged BMI, those with an increased BMI had higher risks of CVD mortality (hazard ratio: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.11–2.39) and all-cause mortality (1.33, 1.01–1.76). BMI decreases had no association with these risks compared with unchanged BMI: 1.06 (0.76–1.48) and 1.06 (0.85–1.33), respectively.ConclusionIncreased BMI within the first 18 months of type 2 diabetes diagnosis was associated with an increased long-term risk of CVD mortality. However, BMI decrease did not lower the long-term risk of mortality.     

Prognostic significance of diabetes as a predictor of survival after cardiac catheterization. APPROACH Investigators. Alberta Provincial Program for Outcome Assessment in Coronary Heart Disease

PURPOSE: Diabetes is a recognized risk factor for the development of cardiac disease, but its importance as a prognostic factor among patients with known cardiovascular disease is less clear. We evaluated survival in patients with and without diabetes who underwent cardiac catheterization for presumed coronary artery disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from a prospective cohort study that captures detailed clinical information and longitudinal outcomes for all patients who undergo cardiac catheterization in Alberta, Canada. We studied 11,468 patients, 1959 (17%) of whom had diabetes. Logistic regression was used to model predictors of 1-year mortality, and proportional hazards analysis was used to model predictors of survival up to 3 years after cardiac catheterization. RESULTS: One-year mortality was 7.6% for patients with diabetes versus 4.1% for those without diabetes (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6 to 2.3). After adjusting for other characteristics of the patients, including comorbid conditions, previous cardiac history, coronary anatomy, and renal function, the odds ratio for 1-year mortality was 1.1 (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.3). Similarly, the adjusted hazard ratio for longer term mortality was 1. 2 (95% CI: 1.0 to 1.4, mean follow-up of 702 days). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there is little or no independent association between diabetes and mortality for up to 3 years after cardiac catheterization. Estimates of short- to intermediate-term prognosis for diabetic patients with coronary artery disease should be based on the presence of other prognostic factors associated with diabetes.     

Secular decrease in blood pressure and reduction in mortality from cardiovascular disease in Israeli workers

The reasons for the dramatic reduction in age-adjusted mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) since the 1970s in developed countries remain uncertain. In the following study we compare the cardiovascular and all-cause mortality rates over an 11-year period in two well-defined employed male cohorts aged 40-69 years old recruited 24 years apart. Blood pressure and other risk markers for CVD were assessed at the time of inception (1963 for 10 048 male civil servants and 1985-1987 for 2237 male industrial workers). Compared to the 1987 cohort, the 1963 cohort show an increase of 8.7 mmHg in the mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.7, 9.6) and a concomitant hazard ratio for CVD mortality of 1.47 (95% CI: 1.16, 1.87). After adding SBP to the analysis, the hazard ratio for CVD mortality in the 1963 cohort decreased to 1.18 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.43). Adding the other risk modifiers to the analysis did not modify the hazard ratio to the same extent. Similar results were obtained for all-cause mortality. We conclude that declining blood pressure values are a major factor in explaining the secular decrease in CVD mortality over a period of 24 years in Israel.     

Does rheumatoid arthritis equal diabetes mellitus as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease? A prospective study

Objective

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but longitudinal observations are limited and the precise magnitude is unknown. We prospectively assessed the incidence of CVD in patients with RA compared with patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and the general population.

Methods

The 3‐year incidence rate of CVD was determined in a prospective cohort (the Cardiovascular Research and Rheumatoid Arthritis Study) of 353 outpatients with RA, and was compared with that in 1,852 population‐based cohort study participants (155 had type 2 DM). We investigated fatal and nonfatal CVD (according to International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision criteria) and used Cox proportional hazards models to assess the incidence of CVD in RA, type 2 DM, and the general population.

Results

The 3‐year incidence of CVD was 9.0% in patients with RA and 4.3% in the general population, corresponding with an incidence rate of 3.30 per 100 patient‐years (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.08–4.25) and 1.51 per 100 person‐years (95% CI 1.18–1.84), respectively. Compared with the general population, the age‐ and sex‐adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for RA was 1.94 (95% CI 1.24–3.05, P = 0.004). Neither exclusion of patients with prior CVD at baseline nor adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors significantly influenced this. Compared with the nondiabetic population, nondiabetic patients with RA and those with type 2 DM had comparable HRs, 2.16 (95% CI 1.28–3.63, P = 0.004) and 2.04 (95% CI 1.12–3.67, P = 0.019), respectively.

Conclusion

The risk of CVD in RA was significantly elevated compared with the general population, and comparable with the magnitude of risk in type 2 DM.     

Changes in all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in three different Finnish population cohorts with and without diabetes

Background

We aimed to assess changes in cardiovascular (CVD) and all-cause mortality among diabetic and non-diabetic individuals between three large study cohorts with baseline assessments of 10 years apart and followed up for 10 years.

Methods

Six population surveys were carried out in 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992 and 1997 in Finland. For the analyses we combined the 1972 and 1977 cohorts (cohort 1), the 1982 and 1987 cohorts (cohort 2) and similarly also the 1992 and 1997 cohorts (cohort 3).

Results

Age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of all-cause mortality and CVD in men without diabetes showed that both had a statistically significant decreased risk of all-cause mortality compared to the first cohort. No statistically significant changes in all-cause mortality were observed in men and women with diabetes between the latter two cohorts compared with the first after controlling for several covariates. In both men and women without diabetes, cohort 2 (men, HR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.51–0.82; women, HR = 0.54; 95% CI 0.32–0.89) and cohort 3 (men, HR = 0.32; 95% CI 0.22–0.47; women, HR = 0.31; 95% CI 0.14–0.68) showed a statistically significant decreased risk of CVD mortality compared to cohort 1. Age-adjusted HRs in regard to CVD mortality in men (HR = 0.22; 95% CI 0.07–0.69) and women (HR = 0.22; 95% CI 0.05–0.99) with diabetes of cohort 3 were statistically significantly lower than in cohort 1.

Conclusions

There seems to be a decrease in CVD mortality in people with diabetes indicating that treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors in diabetes patients may have improved during the last decade.     

Burden of established cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes and matched controls: Hospital-based care,days absent from work,costs and mortality

Aims

To assess hospital-based care, work absence, associated costs, and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes with and without established cardiovascular disease (eCVD) compared to matched controls.

Materials and methods

In a population-based cohort study, we analysed individual-level data from national health, social insurance and socio-economic registers for people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before age 70 years and controls (5:1) in Sweden. Regression analysis was used to attribute costs and days absent due to eCVD. Mortality was analysed using Cox proportional hazard regression, stratified by birth year and adjusted for sex and education.

Results

Thirty percent (n = 136 135 of 454 983) of people with type 2 diabetes had ≥1 person-year with eCVD (women 24%; men 34%). The mean annual costs of hospital-based care for diabetes complications were EUR 2629 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2601-2657) of which EUR 2337 (95% CI 2309-2365) were attributed to eCVD (89%). The most costly person-years (10th percentile) were observed in a broad subgroup, 42% of people with type 2 diabetes and eCVD. People with type 2 diabetes had on average 146 days absent (95% CI 145-147) per year, of which 68 days (47%; 95% CI 67-70) were attributed to eCVD. The mortality hazard ratio for type 2 diabetes with eCVD was 4.63 (95%CI 4.58-4.68) and without eCVD was 1.86 (95% CI 1.84-1.88) compared to controls without eCVD.

Conclusion

The sizable burden of eCVD on both the individual with type 2 diabetes and society calls for efficient management in order to reduce the risks for those living with eCVD and to postpone its onset.     

Ankle-brachial index as a predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in 3733 Chinese patients with high cardiovascular risk

Objective To assess the association between 1-year risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease （CVD） mortality and ankle-brachial index （ABI） in Chinese patients who were at high CVD risk. Methods Totally 3733 patients with high CV risk had bilateral ABI measurements at baseline and were followed up for 1-1.5 years. Patients were divided to four groups： 1） coronary heart disease （CHD）; 2） ischemic stroke （IS）; 3） diabetes mellitus （DM）; 4） very high risk group（VHR）, low ABI was defined as 〈0.9. Results A total of 3179 patients were analyzed. The prevalence of low ABI was 28.1%. At 1 year, all-cause mortality was 8.7%, and 27.6% was attributable to CVD; mortality due to CV events was 4.8% and 1.5%. After adjusting other risk factors the hazard ratio of low ABI was 1.623 for all-cause mortality and 2.304 for CVD mortality. Similar in patient with and without low ABI, respectively were found in four groups.Conclusion ABI is a strong and independent predictor ofrnortality. Patients with a low ABI have a substantially increased risk of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality （J Geriatr Cardio12010; 7：17-20）.     

Effect of conventional risk factors for excess cardiovascular death in men: NIPPON DATA80.

BACKGROUND: The present study examined how sex differences in conventional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially smoking, account for excess male mortality from CVD in Japan. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a 14-year follow-up study, causes of death were ascertained among 10,546 Japanese aged 30 years or older at the baseline. The proportion of the excess male risk of CVD explained by the differences in risk factors was estimated as (HR0-HR1)/(HR0-1), where HR0 is the age-adjusted hazard ratio (men vs women) and HR1 is the age and risk factor-adjusted hazard ratio. The age-adjusted male:female ratios were 1.60 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.32-1.94) for CVD, 1.75 (95% CI, 1.33-2.30) for stroke, and 1.55 (95% CI, 0.97-2.49) for coronary heart disease. The proportion of excess male risk of CVD explained by smoking was 46% and excess risk explained by all risk factors including smoking was 36%. In men, drinking habits decreased the excess risk of CVD. Except for the association between drinking habits and CVD, the impact of the hazard ratios of conventional risk factors had no sex difference. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking contributes substantially to excess male mortality from CVD when the smoking rates vary substantially by sex.     

Cause-specific and total mortality in the Canterbury (New Zealand) insulin-treated Diabetic Registry population: a 15-year follow-up study.

AIMS: To establish all-cause and cause-specific death rates, and risk factors for mortality in insulin-treated diabetic individuals living in the province of Canterbury, New Zealand. METHODS: Insulin-treated diabetic subjects (n = 995) on the Canterbury Diabetes Registry were followed up over 15 years and vital status determined. Death rates were standardized and hazard regression was used to model the effects of demographic covariates on relative survival time. RESULTS: There were 419 deaths in 11 226.3 person-years of follow-up with a standardized mortality ratio (SMR) of 2.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8-2.2). Relative mortality was greatest for the group aged 0-29 years (SMR 3.0 (95% CI 2.4-3.7)). After controlling for diabetes duration and gender, a 10-year increment in age of onset was associated with a 33% decrease in relative hazard (95% CI 29-36%), indicating that excess mortality due to diabetes declines with rising age of onset. After controlling for age of onset and gender, each 10-year increment in duration of diabetes is associated with a 26% decrease in relative hazard (95% CI 24-29%), indicating that with longer survival the mortality hazard approaches the general population hazard. Relative mortalities were increased for cardiovascular, renal and respiratory disease, but not malignancy. Relative mortality from acute metabolic complications was increased in the subgroup with age of onset of diabetes < 30 years and requiring insulin within 1 year of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates are high for insulin-treated diabetic individuals relative to the general population.     

Usefulness of fasting plasma glucose to predict mortality or coronary heart disease in persons > or = 60 years of age without diabetes mellitus or in those with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (from The Dubbo Study)

The role of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels below diabetes "thresholds" in predicting mortality or coronary heart disease (CHD) is unclear. This study examines whether FPG predicts mortality or CHD in subjects without diabetes (historical or undiagnosed) or in those with undiagnosed diabetes (or lesser degrees of glucose intolerance). We have analyzed all-causes mortality and CHD incidence from a 16-year follow-up in a cohort of Australian senior citizens, 60 years and older, first examined in 1988-89. Diabetes was defined on historical grounds or by use of medication; undiagnosed diabetics were those without history but with FPG >124 mg/dl. Hazard ratio and 95% confidence intervals of the specified outcomes were obtained from Cox models, with FPG being entered as a continuous variable. Mortality and CHD incidence rates in subjects with previous cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes were substantially higher than in nondiabetics, but CHD rates were disproportionately higher in diabetic women. FPG did not significantly predict any outcome in men in the absence of diabetes. In women, FPG was a significant predictor of death (hazard ratio = 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 1.56) and CHD (hazard ratio 1.24, confidence interval 1.02 to 1.51) in the cohort, which included previous CVD but excluded all diabetes. In women with undiagnosed diabetes, FPG predicted death independently of previous CVD presence but did not predict CHD. In conclusion, FPG in the range of 95 to 108 mg/dl in a nondiabetic woman is still of prognostic importance for survival or CHD if she has previous CVD, whereas FPG is of prognostic importance for survival if she has undiagnosed diabetes. No similar findings were made in men.     

The effect of radial pulse spectrum on the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes

Radial pulse spectrum has been shown to correlate with coronary stenosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In academia, it has not been demonstrated that the radial artery pulse spectrum is an independent risk factor for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including myocardial infarction, stroke, and all-cause mortality. The primary objective of this study is to assess the risk of MACE, in patients with T2DM and to determine if an increase in MACE would be associated with a first harmonic (C1) increase in the radial artery pulse. 1972 consecutive patients with T2DM were enrolled. All subjects received measurements of radial pulse waves at baseline. Harmonic analysis of radial pressure wave was performed. The hazard ratios for MACE and its 95% confident interval were estimated using Cox proportional hazard model. The follow-up period lasted for one year. MACE was detected in 232 (11.8%) of those with T2DM. The log-rank test demonstrated that the cumulative incidence of patients with C1 above 0.96 was greater than those with C1 bellow 0.96. Comparing the patients with C1 smaller than first quartile to the patients with C1 greater than third quartile, higher C1 increased the cardiovascular risks as follows: MACE (Hazard ratio,1.93; 95% CI,1.31–2.86), stroke (Hazard ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 0.90–2.90), myocardial infarction (Hazard ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.33–3.74). The risk for the composite MACE increased continuously as C1 increased (P?<?0.001 for trend). The hazard ratio and trend for all-cause mortality were not significant. Increased C1 resulted in increased risk for nonfatal stroke, and nonfatal myocardial infarction among patients with T2DM. Our results indicate that the degree of C1 is a risk factor for nonfatal MACE. Therefore, the radial pulse spectrum could identify patients with T2DM at high risk of nonfatal MACE.     

Cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index as predictors of cardiovascular disease mortality among men with diabetes

BACKGROUND: Questions remain as to whether higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, a measure of regular physical activity, are associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in overweight and obese individuals with diabetes. Our objective was to quantify the independent and joint relations of cardiorespiratory fitness (hereafter, fitness) and body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) with CVD mortality in men with diabetes. METHODS: This study was conducted using prospective observational data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Study participants comprised 2316 men with no history of stroke or myocardial infarction and who were diagnosed as having diabetes (mean [SD] age, 50 [10] years); had a medical examination, including a maximal exercise test during 1970 to 1997 with mortality surveillance to December 31, 1998; and had a BMI of 18.5 or greater and less than 35.0. The main outcome measure was CVD mortality across levels of fitness with stratification by BMI. RESULTS: We identified 179 CVD deaths during a mean (SD) follow-up of 15.9 (7.9) years and 36,710 man-years of exposure. In a model containing age, examination year, fasting glucose level, systolic blood pressure, parental history of premature CVD, total cholesterol level, cigarette smoking, abnormal resting, and exercise electrocardiograms, a significantly higher adjusted risk of mortality was observed in men with a low fitness level who were normal weight (hazard ratio, 2.7 [95% confidence interval, 1.3-5.7]), overweight (hazard ratio, 2.7 [95% confidence interval, 1.4-5.1]), and class 1 obese (hazard ratio, 2.8 [95% confidence interval, 1.4-5.1]) compared with normal weight men with a high fitness level. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of men with diabetes, low fitness level was associated with increased risk of CVD mortality within normal weight, overweight, and class 1 obese weight categories.     

Homocysteine and vitamin B(12) concentrations and mortality rates in type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of homocysteine as a risk factor for mortality in diabetic subjects. METHODS: Homocysteine, vitamin B(12), and folate concentrations were measured in stored sera of 396 diabetic Pima Indians aged > or = 40 years when examined between 1982 and 1985. Vital status was assessed through 2001. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Over a median follow-up of 15.7 years, there were 221 deaths-76 were due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), 36 to diabetes/nephropathy and 34 to infections. Homocysteine was positively associated with mortality from all causes (hazard rate ratio (HRR) for highest versus lowest tertile of homocysteine = 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18-2.46), from diabetes/nephropathy (HRR = 2.39, 95% CI 0.94-6.11) and from infectious diseases (HRR = 3.39, 95% CI 1.19-9.70), but not from CVD (HRR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.62-2.17) after adjustment for age, sex and diabetes duration. Homocysteine correlated with serum creatinine (r = 0.50), and the relationships with mortality rates were not significant after adjustment for creatinine. Vitamin B(12) was positively associated with all-cause mortality (HRR for 100 pg/mL difference adjusted for age, sex and diabetes duration = 1.15, 95% CI 1.08-1.22) and death from diabetes/nephropathy (HRR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.10-1.46). The association between homocysteine and mortality in type 2 diabetes is not causal, but is confounded by renal disease in Pima Indians.     

Mortality at 1 year for the direct comparison of tirofiban and abciximab during percutaneous coronary revascularization: do tirofiban and ReoPro give similar efficacy outcomes at trial 1-year follow-up.

AIMS: Compared with placebo, abciximab has been associated with mortality reduction at late follow-up. The TARGET trial was performed to test whether tirofiban and abciximab provide similar efficacy outcomes among patients undergoing non-emergent, stent-based percutaneous coronary intervention. We report here the 1-year mortality of the study population. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 18 countries at 149 hospitals, 4,809 patients undergoing elective or urgent stent implantation were randomly assigned a bolus and infusion of tirofiban or abciximab. Ischaemic events were assessed at 30 days and 6 months and mortality was assessed at 1 year. We previously reported that abciximab was superior to tirofiban considering the composite rate of death or myocardial infarction at 30 days among all patients and at 6 months among those with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). At 1-year follow-up death occurred in 46 (1.9%) patients who received tirofiban and 42 (1.7%) patients who received abciximab (hazard ratio 1.10, 95% CI 0.72-1.67; P=0.660). Mortality rates for patients with ACS were 2.3% with tirofiban vs. 2.2% with abciximab (hazard ratio 1.03, 95% CI 0.64-1.67; P=0.897) and those without ACS were 1.4 vs. 1.0% (hazard ratio 1.32, 95% CI 0.56-3.13; P=0.530). CONCLUSION: At 1 year, tirofiban provided a similar level of survival benefit compared with abciximab.     

Diabetes known or newly detected, but not impaired glucose regulation, has a negative influence on 1-year outcome in patients with coronary artery disease: a report from the Euro Heart Survey on diabetes and the heart.

AIMS: Although diabetes is known to be a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases, as well as an independent predictor for adverse outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), information on the prognosis of patients with CAD and newly diagnosed diabetes or impaired glucose regulation (IGR) is scarce. The objective of this study was to explore 1-year outcome in relation to different glucometabolic states of patients participating in the Euro Heart Survey on diabetes and the heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 4676 out of 4961 patients, information on the relation between 1-year outcome and glucometabolic state, which was based on oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) or fasting glucose plasma, was available. A normal glucose metabolism was identified in 947 patients, IGR (impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance) in 1116 patients, and diabetes in 1877 patients of whom 1425 were previously diagnosed and 452 newly diagnosed. In total, 736 patients could not be classified, as no OGTT or fasting plasma glucose was performed. Previously recognized and newly detected diabetes was associated with an increased risk of 1-year mortality when compared with patients with normal glucose regulation [hazard ratio (HR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-3.8 and HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.6, respectively)]. IGR, however, could not be identified as an independent predictor for 1-year mortality (HR 1.1, 95% CI 0.6-1.9). CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that patients with CAD and known diabetes are at high risk for mortality and cardiovascular events and demonstrated that patients with newly diagnosed diabetes are at intermediate risk for adverse outcomes. IGR, however, could not be identified as an independent predictor for adverse outcomes during the 1-year follow-up period.     

Underappreciated predictors for postdischarge mortality in acute hospitalized oldest-old patients

BACKGROUND: Although oldest-old, those aged 85 years and older, patients are the fastest growing segment, clinical evidences regarding the acute care of oldest-old patients are still lacking. Because acute medical conditions requiring emergent hospitalization is frequently followed by high rate of progressive physical decline and increased mortality after discharge in oldest-old patients, prognostic information collected during hospitalization can provide the basis for discussion about the goals of care and therapy. The aim of our study was to identify predictive factors for postdischarge mortality in oldest-old patients. METHODS: The study included 403 oldest-old patients discharged from the acute care setting of a general hospital, who were followed-up for 1 year. Predictive values of the patients' characteristics collected during their hospitalization for 1-year mortality were identified utilizing Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. RESULTS: During 1-year follow-up, 104 patients (25.8%) died. The variables independently associated with 1-year mortality in multivariate analysis were the Charlson Comorbidity Index equal or greater than 2 [HR (hazard ratio) 4.71, 95%CI (confidence interval) 1.09-20.42], six or more prescribed medications at discharge (HR 3.12, 95% CI 1.39-6.99), benzodiazepines use (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.04-2.60), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.10-2.63), albumin less than or equaling 3.4 g/dl (HR 2.16, 95% CI 1.13-4.14), hemoglobin 10-12 g/dl (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.22-3.56), hemoglobin less than 10 g/dl (HR 2.67, 95% CI 1.43-4.95), the presence of pressure sores (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.14-2.97), and a history of delirium (HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.32-3.79). Functional impairment assessed by the Katz Index was only weakly associated with mortality (HR 1.24, 95% CI 0.53-2.91). CONCLUSION: Although often underappreciated, polypharmacy, particular medication use, anemia, the presence of pressure sores, and a history of delirium were important predictors for postdischarge mortality in oldest-old patients.     

Elevated serum creatinine is associated with 1-year mortality after acute myocardial infarction

Background Cardiovascular mortality is high in individuals with end-stage renal disease. However, less is known about the prognostic importance of moderate renal insufficiency in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Methods We studied all patients with acute myocardial infarction admitted through the emergency department to an urban, academic hospital over 1 year. Patients were classified as having elevated (>133 μmol/L [1.5 mg/dL]) or normal (≤133 μmol/L) serum creatinine at presentation. Results Of 483 patients, 22% had elevated creatinine and 78% had normal creatinine. By 1 year, 46% of patients with elevated creatinine and 15% of patients with normal creatinine had died (P < .001). The unadjusted hazard ratio for 1-year mortality was increased in patients with elevated creatinine compared with those with normal creatinine (hazard ratio 3.85, 95% CI 2.61-5.67). After adjustment for baseline characteristics and treatment, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for 1-year mortality remained increased in patients with elevated creatinine compared with those with normal creatinine (hazard ratio 2.40, 95% CI 1.55-3.72). There was an important modification of the prognostic value of creatinine by the presence of congestive heart failure at presentation (P value for interaction = .04). The adjusted hazard ratio for 1-year death associated with elevated creatinine compared with normal creatinine was 3.89 (95% CI 1.87-8.07) in patients without congestive heart failure and 1.92 (95% CI 1.10-3.36) in patients with congestive heart failure. Conclusions Elevated serum creatinine at presentation is associated with 1-year mortality after acute myocardial infarction. Further study is needed to optimize treatment after myocardial infarction in this high-risk group. (Am Heart J 2002;144:1003-1011.)     

Comparison of risk factors for cardiovascular mortality in black and white adults

BACKGROUND: Recent attention to racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes highlights the excess coronary heart disease mortality in black patients compared with white patients. We investigated whether traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were similarly associated with CVD mortality in black and white men and women. METHODS: Participants included 3741 black and 33,246 white men and women (44%) without a history of myocardial infarction, aged 18 to 64 years at baseline (1967-1973) from the Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry study. Blood pressure, total cholesterol level, body mass index, cigarette smoking, and physician-diagnosed diabetes were assessed at baseline using standard methods. RESULTS: Through 2002, there were 107, 1586, 177, and 2866 deaths from CVD in black women, white women, black men, and white men, respectively. In general, the magnitude and direction of associations between traditional risk factors and CVD mortality were similar by race. However, in black women the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) per 12 mm Hg of diastolic blood pressure was 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-1.29), whereas it was 1.31 in white women (95% CI, 1.25-1.38). There was no association between higher cholesterol level (per 40 mg/dL [1.04 mmol/L]) and CVD mortality in black men (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.80-1.10), whereas the risk was elevated in white men (HR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.16-1.26). CONCLUSIONS: Most traditional risk factors demonstrated similar associations with mortality in black and white adults of the same sex. Small differences were primarily in the strength, not the direction, of association.