A prospective study of risk factors for cardiovascular events among the elderly

Figures & data

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the participants

Characteristic	Total (n = 800)	CV events (n = 233)	No CV events (n = 567)
Age (y), mean ± SE	71.2 (6.9)	72.9 (6.5)	70.5 (7.0)‡
Women %	66.8	63.1	68.3
Hypertension %	53.9	67.0	48.5‡
Diabetes %	15.1	25.1	11.0‡
CVD history %	17.1	30.5	12.0‡
Total cholesterol (mg/dL) mean ± SE	205.8 (43.3)	206.8 (47.0)	205.4 (41.7)
LDL-c (mg/dL) mean ± SE	126.6 (37.6)	126.8 (38.8)	126.5 (37.1)
HDL-c (mg/dL) mean ± SE	49.9 (14.1)	48.1 (14.3)	50.7 (14.0)*
Triglycerides (mg/dL) mean ± SE	146.5 (84.0)	159.2 (100.5)	141.2 (75.5)†
BMI (kg/m^2) mean ± SE	25.9 (4.8)	26.2 (4.8)	25.8 (4.8)
Waist circumference (cm) mean ± SE	92.2 (10.8)	94.1 (10.9)	91.4 (10.7)†
Waist-to-hip ratio mean ± SE	0.941 (0.06)	0.955 (0.06)	0.936 (0.06)‡
Metabolic syndrome %	38.9	48.9	34.7‡
Regular physical activity %	21.8	23.3	18.0
Smoking %	7.6	8.2	6.4

Notes:

* P < 0.05;

† P < 0.01;

‡ P < 0.001.

Abbreviations: CV, cardiovascular; SD, standard error; CVD, cardiovascular disease; LDL-c, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; BMI, body mass index.

Table 2 Association between cardiovascular events and classic risk factors in older adults (n = 800)

Risk factor	%	HR crude (CI 95%)	HR adjusteda (CI 95%)
Hypertension	53.9	1.83 (1.39; 2.41)‡	1.69 (1.28; 2.24)‡
Diabetes	15.1	2.60 (1.93; 3.50)‡	2.67 (1.98; 3.61)‡
Pre-diabetes (GBL ≥ 100 mg/dL) or diabetes	33.0	1.74 (1.34; 2.26)‡	1.60 (1.23; 2.08)‡
Metabolic syndrome	38.9	1.59 (1.23; 2.06)‡	1.61 (1.24; 2.09)‡
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m^2)	18.3	0.99 (0.71; 1.38)	1.05 (0.75; 1.47)
Overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m^2)	37.3	0.99 (0.76; 1.29)	1.06 (0.81; 1.39)
WC ≥ 75th percentile	25.9	1.21 (0.91; 1.61)	1.21 (0.91; 1.62)
Waist-hip ratio ≥ 75th percentile	26.6	1.45 (1.10; 1.91)†	1.36 (1.03; 1.79)*
Total cholesterol > 200 mg/dL	48.9	0.93 (0.72; 1.21)	1.10 (0.84; 1.43)
Total cholesterol > 240 mg/dL	21.5	1.07 (0.79; 1.44)	1.32 (0.97; 1.79)
LDL-c > 100 mg/dL	69.5	0.83 (0.63; 1.09)	0.93 (0.70; 1.23)
LDL-c > 130 mg/dL	41.3	1.04 (0.80; 1.35)	1.20 (0.93; 1.57)
HDL-c < 45 mg/dL	34.8	1.36 (1.05; 1.77)*	1.23 (0.94; 1.61)
HDL-c < 40 mg/dL	22.8	1.38 (1.04; 1.79)*	1.27 (0.94; 1.70)
HDL-c < 35 mg/dL	12.6	1.53 (1.08; 2.16)*	1.26 (0.89; 1.79)
Triglycerides > 200 mg/dL	16.5	1.39 (1.01; 1.90)*	1.67 (1.22; 2.30)†
Triglycerides/HDL-c > 4	23.5	1.62 (1.28; 2.13)‡	1.73 (1.31; 2.84)‡

Notes:

* P < 0.05;

† P < 0.01;

‡ P < 0.001;

a Cox regression models adjusted for sex, age, cardiovascular disease history, regular physical activity, and smoking.

Abbreviations: HR, hazard ratio; GBL, glucose blood level; BMI, body mass index; WC, waist circumference; LDL-c, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Table 3 Multivariate analysis of the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events regarding hypertension, diabetes, abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia*

Independent variables	Dependent variable – cardiovascular events
	HR	(95% CI)	P-value
Model A
Hypertension	1.53	1.15–2.03	<0.05
Diabetes	2.12	1.56–2.88	<0.001
WHR – percentile 75	1.17	0.89–1.55	ns
Triglycerides > 200 mg/dL	1.48	1.07–2.04	<0.05
Model B
Hypertension	1.54	1.16–2.05	<0.05
Diabetes	2.08	1.53–2.83	<0.001
WHR – percentile 75	1.11	0.84–1.48	ns
Triglycerides/HDL-c > 4	1.56	1.17–2.08	<0.05

Note:

* Adjusted for gender, age range > 75 years old, smoking, previous cardiovascular disease, and regular physical activity.

Abbreviations: WHR, waist-hip ratio; HDL-c, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; ns, non-significant.