Interaction between inflammation and blood viscosity predicts cardiovascular mortality

Figures & data

Table I. Baseline variables mean values and the number of individuals (n) in each group who had this variable measured at baseline. Variable are shown separately for individuals with an ESR <6 and ≥6.

	ESR<6			ESR ≥ 6
	n	Mean	SD	n	Mean	SD
Age (years)	223	50.9	(5.3)	265	52.4	(5.4)
Smokers (%)	223	36.3	–	265	50.9	–
Total serum cholesterol (mmol/l)	223	6.5	(1.1)	265	6.9	(1.4)
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	223	133.5	(19.7)	265	134.7	(17.4)
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	223	89.3	(11.2)	265	88.2	(9.3)
Haemoblobin (g/100ml)	223	15.5	(0.9)	265	15.0	(1.0)
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (mm/h)	223	3.4	(1.2)	265	11.9	(7.4)
Haematocrit (%)	223	47.9	(2.9)	265	46.5	(2.7)
Triglycerides (mmol/1)	223	1.3	(0.8)	265	1.4	(1.0)
Resting heart rate (beats/min)	223	60.2	(9.2)	265	61.0	(9.7)
Physical fitness (J/kg)	223	1.9	(0.7)	265	1.7	(0.7)
Vital capacity (ml)	223	4305	1016	265	4320	(890)
Forced expiratory volume first second (ml/s)	223	3385	(741)	265	3284	(750)
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	223	24.6	(2.8)	265	24.8	(3.0)
Fasting blood glucose (mmol/1)	223	4.4	(0.5)	265	4.5	(0.7)

Table II. Different quartiles of hematocrit, the number of men (n) within each quartile and the level of haematocrit with the standard deviation (SD). The different quartiles are divided into groups with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) below and above median (6 mm/h).

		Total			ESR < 6			ESR ≥ 6
Quartiles	Range	n	Mean	(SD)	n	Mean	(SD)	n	Mean	(SD)
1	38–45	129	43.6	(1.5)	34	43.1	(1.7)	95	43.8	(1.4)
2	46–47	135	46.5	(0.5)	61	46.6	(0.5)	74	46.4	(0.5)
3	48–49	118	48.4	(0.5)	60	48.5	(0.5)	58	48.3	(0.5)
4	50–56	106	51.0	(1.3)	68	51.1	(1.3)	38	50.8	(1.3)

Figure 1. Kaplan-Meier curves describing risk development among 488, grouped by quartiles of hematocrit (Q1-Q4).

Figure 2. Kaplan-Meier curves describing risk development among 265 men with erythrocyte sedimentation rate above 6 mm/h, grouped by quartiles of hematocrit (Q1–Q4).

Table III. Numbers of CV deaths in within each quartile (Q1Q4) of hematocrit and the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) compared to the quartile with the lowest hematocrit (Q1). Data are shown separately for individuals with an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) below and above median (6 mm/h).

	ESR < 6				ESR ≥ 6
Quartiles	CVD deaths	HR^*	CI 95%	P	CVD deaths	HR^*	CI 95%	P
Q1	4	1.00	–	–	15	1.0	–	95
Q2	15	1.70	0.5–5.28	0.43	18	1.83	0.91–3.69	0.09
Q3	8	0.90	0.2–3.16	0.87	16	1.71	0.84–3.48	0.14
Q4	15	1.63	0.5–5.09	0.40	16	3.05	1.49–6.23	0.0025

*Adjusted for age, smoking, systolic blood pressure, total serum cholesterol, and physical fitness.