High prevalence of cardiac dysfunction or overt heart failure in 71-year-old men: A 21-year follow-up of “The Study of men born in 1943”

Abstract

Background Knowledge about long-term risk factors and the prevalence of heart failure stages in general population is limited. We aimed to study the prevalence of cardiac dysfunction and heart failure in 71-year-old men and potential risk factors in the past two decades. Design This research was based on a randomized selected population study with longitudinal follow-up. Methods A random sample of men born in 1943 in Gothenburg, Sweden were examined in 1993 (at 50 years of age) and re-examined 21 years later in 2014 (at 71 years of age). Cardiac dysfunction or heart failure was classified into four stages (A–D) according to American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines on heart failure. Results Of the 798 men examined in 1993 (overall cohort), 535 (67%) were re-examined in 2014 (echo cohort). In the echo cohort 122 (23%) men had normal cardiac function, 135 (25%) were at stage A, 207 (39%) men were at stage B, 66 (12%) men were at stage C, and five (1%) men were at stage D. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that elevated body mass index at 50 years old was the only independent risk factor for developing heart failure/cardiac dysfunction during the subsequent 21 years. For each unit (1 kg/m2) of increased body mass index, the odds ratio for stages C/D heart failure vs no heart failure/stage A increased by 1.20 (95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.31, p < 0.001), after adjustment for smoking, sedentary life style, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. Conclusion In a random sample of men at 71 years of age, half presented with either cardiac dysfunction or clinical heart failure. High body mass index was associated with an increased risk for developing cardiac dysfunction or heart failure over a 21-year period.

Preventing heart failure: a position paper of the Heart Failure Association in collaboration with the European Association of Preventive Cardiology

“…The risk of HF development is related to body weight and body mass index (BMI) 53,54 . It was estimated that risk of HF development increases by 5–7% with each increment of 1 kg/m 2 in BMI 53 .…”

Preventing heart failure: a position paper of the Heart Failure Association in collaboration with the European Association of Preventive Cardiology

“…The risk of HF development is related to body weight and body mass index (BMI). 53,54 It was estimated that risk of HF development increases by 5-7% with each increment of 1 kg/m 2 in BMI. 53 Although the contribution of obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m 2 ) to the development of HFpEF is greater than for HFrEF, body weight is a risk factor in both scenarios.…”

Incremental Changes in Qrs Duration as Predictor for Incident Cardiovascular Disease: a Prospective Follow-up of a Randomly Selected General Population Sample During a Decade Beyond

“…All 798 men who were examined in 1993 were invited to a re-examination in 2004 all at age 60 years, where 655 out of 773 who were still alive (84.7%) were re-examined, and in 2014, at the age of 71 years 536 out of 688 men still alive (77.9%) were re-examined. The follow-up procedure is previously described in detailes [12][13][14] .…”