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Biomedical subjects

B Hedblad

Publications and source records attributed to B Hedblad.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Hypertensive men who exercise regularly have lower rate of cardiovascular mortality.

BACKGROUND: Regular exercise has been associated in prospective studies with reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death. OBJECTIVE: To assess in a cohort study whether there is a similar protective effect of regular exercise among hypertensive individuals. DESIGN: Population-based prospective cohort study. Spare time physical activity was assessed by structured interview. SETTING: Malmo, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy men (n = 642) born in 1914. A baseline examination took place in 1969-1970. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates during 25 years of follow-up in relation to blood pressure and other risk factors for atherosclerosis. RESULTS: One-hundred (16%) men reported vigorous spare time physical activity. In this group, 31 had hypertension (blood pressure >160/95 mm Hg or treatment for hypertension), 47 were smokers and 39 had hyperlipidaemia. Among the 173 men with hypertension, vigorous physical activity was associated with markedly reduced rates of all-cause (17.3 versus 40.0 deaths per 1000 person-years) and cardiovascular mortality (6.3 versus 21.0 deaths per 1000 person-years). The risk reductions associated with exercise remained statistically significant after adjustment for smoking, systolic blood pressure and antihypertensive therapy. The relative risk was 0.43 (confidence interval 0.22-0.82) for total mortality and 0.33 (confidence interval 0.11 -0.94) for CVD mortality. CONCLUSION: People who regularly perform physical activity constitute a heterogeneous group with regard to their exposure to known cardiovascular risk factors. Our results support the view that regular physical activity is associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease and death and suggest that this protective effect may be enhanced among hypertensive individuals.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1999

Subjective well-being associated with improved survival in smoking and hypertensive men.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that people who rate their health as poor have reduced life expectancy. The purpose of the present study was to determine to what extent self-rated perception of health modifies the survival rates in men at risk from tobacco smoking or hypertension. DESIGN: A prospective population-based study. METHODS: The baseline examination took place in 1969 and study participants were followed until 1993. The study cohort comprised 632 men born in 1914 and residing in Malmö, Sweden. Self-rated health (good, average or poor) was assessed in a structured interview in 1969. Mortality data were obtained from the Swedish National Bureau of Statistics. Subjects were stratified for smoking and hypertension. RESULTS: After adjustments for a number of medical risk factors and physical activity, health self-rated as good was significantly associated with reduced mortality in smoking (adjusted relative risk 0.63, confidence interval (CI) 0.47 to 0.84), hypertensive (adjusted relative risk 0.56, CI 0.34 to 0.91) and normotensive (adjusted relative risk 0.66, CI 0.49 to 0.91) men. CONCLUSION: We conclude that subjective well-being modifies the survival rates in hypertensive or smoking men.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Incidence of cardiac events in hypertensive men related to adaptive behavior in stressful encounters.

The Serial Color Word Test was administered at baseline to 253 hypertensive men participating in the prospective cohort study of cardiovascular diseases "Men born in 1914" in Malmö, Sweden. This test of psychological adaptation to a stressful encounter was used to investigate whether susceptibility to stress moderates the risk of a cardiac event in association with hypertension. Adaptive behavior, as measured by test performance, can be categorized in two dimensions. The regression dimension refers to linear change of time spent in the test session whereas the variability dimension refers to nonlinear change. Both dimensions consist of four different patterns. At follow-up (mean time = 8.2 +/- 3.5 years), the risk of a cardiac event varied between men with different adaptive patterns. One pattern, the Cumulative-Dissociative pattern of the variability dimension, characterized by a discontinuous and fluctuating time-consumption, was associated to an almost three-fold risk of a cardiac event during follow-up (relative risk [RR], 2.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33 - 6.70, p = .010) after adjustment for medical-, socioeconomic-, and lifestyle-related factors. No association existed between adaptive patterns and overall mortality.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Factors modifying the prognosis in men with asymptomatic carotid artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: Carotid artery stenosis is associated with an increased prevalence and incidence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). The aim of this study has been to assess whether, in men with carotid artery stenosis, survival and incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction is different in men with and men free from IHD; and to characterize probands with incident cerebrovascular (CBV) event in terms of smoking, hypertension and leg artery disease. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study, 'Men born 1914'. SETTING: Malmö, a city in southern Sweden. SUBJECTS: A total of 478 of 621 men born in 1914, who in 1982 participated in ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morbidity and mortality during 10 years of followup. RESULTS: Asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis was, in men free from IHD, associated with reduced survival and an increased incidence of serious CBV events that occurred, on average, 3.6 years after the examination. In men with prevalent IHD, there was no relationship between carotid artery stenosis and incidence of CBV events. The main explanation to the lack of association seems to be the high vascular mortality rate in that group. CONCLUSIONS: It's our conclusion that in patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis there is a great heterogeneity with regard to severity of disease and prognosis. Survival and incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction depends on whether patients have concomitant IHD.

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PubMed1998

Endothelial derived vasoactive factors and leukocyte derived inflammatory mediators in subjects with asymptomatic atherosclerosis.

To clarify relationships between the (endothelial vasodilatory and vasoconstrictive function) and leukocyte inflammatory mediators in subjects with asymptomatic atherosclerosis, we measured (intraplatelet cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate [cGMP] and cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate [cAMP]), plasma endothelin (ET-1), and plasma neopterin in 197 subjects with asymptomatic atherosclerosis (median age 63 years, range 49-69 years). We measured neutrophil protease 4 (NP4), tumor necrosis factor (TNFmu), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (sTNFR-1), and neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) in 152 of the 197 subjects. Intraplatelet cGMP correlated inversely with plasma ET-1 (r=-0.22; p=0.01), which confirms earlier in vitro data of the inhibitory effect of ET-1 on NO production and/or the cGMP mediated inhibitory effect of NO on ET-1 production. Plasma neopterin as well as NP4 correlated directly with intraplatelet cGMP (r=0.24; p<0.01 and r=0.33; p<0.001, respectively). Intraplatelet cAMP correlated directly with plasma TNFmu (r=0.17; p<0.05) and sTNFR-1 (r=0.20; p<0.05). The relationship between leukocyte derived inflammatory mediators and intraplatelet cyclic nucleotides suggest an antiaggregating effect of leukocytes upon platelets, which may constitute a negative feedback mechanism that inhibits platelet activation during the atherosclerotic inflammatory process.

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PubMed1997

Reduced cardiovascular mortality risk in male smokers who are physically active. Results from a 25-year follow-up of the prospective population study men born in 1914.

OBJECTIVE: To assess to what extent physical activity during leisure time may modify the mortality risk associated with smoking. METHODS: Population-based cohort study in the city of Malmö, Sweden. The 642 men included in this study were all born in 1914 and were all free of cardiovascular disease at the baseline examination in 1968 and 1969. Smoking habits and physical activity during leisure time were assessed by a structured questionnaire. Main outcome measures were total and cardiovascular mortality rates during 25 years of follow-up. RESULTS: The total and cardiovascular mortality rates in smokers were 33.2 per 1000 person-years and 15.9 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Corresponding figures in nonsmokers were 17.8 per 1000 person-years and 7.5 per 1000 person-years. Mortality rates in smokers were strongly related to daily tobacco consumption. Physically active men had lower overall (adjusted relative risk [RR], 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5-0.9) and cardiovascular (adjusted RR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9) mortality rates than sedentary men. Physically active men who never smoked (used as the control category) had the lowest death rate, and physically inactive smokers the highest (adjusted RR, 3.6; 95% CI, 2.1-6.3). The cardiovascular death rates in these 2 groups were 4.3 per 1000 person-years and 16.6 per 1000 person-years, respectively (adjusted RR, 5.5; 95% CI, 2.2-13.6). Vigorous physical activity in smokers was associated with an almost 40% lower cardiovascular mortality rate (RR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.3-1.2; P = .11). CONCLUSIONS: Regular physical activity was associated with lower total and cardiovascular mortality rates. Similar effects were observed in both nonsmokers and smokers.

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PubMed1997

Leukocyte activation in atherosclerosis: correlation with risk factors.

Leukocytes have been implicated in the development of atherosclerotic vascular diseases, and numerous abnormalities of leukocytes in conjunction with atherosclerosis have been reported. The aim of this study of middle-aged asymptomatic subjects with early atherosclerosis was to determine whether a relationship exists between the levels of plasma markers of leukocyte activation, i.e. cytokines and proteases and risk factors for atherosclerosis or the degree of atherosclerotic disease. Using ELISAs we measured the plasma levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), neutrophil protease 4 (NP4) as markers for neutrophil activation, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) and soluble TNF receptor-1 (sTNFR-1) as markers of monocyte/macrophage activation in 156 subjects with asymptomatic carotid artery plaque detected at ultrasound examination. Plasma TNF and sTNFR-1 levels were found to correlate with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.32, P < 0.04 and r = 0.22, P < 0.05, respectively). plasma NGAL level to correlate with diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.22; P < 0.005), the plasma levels of sTNFR-1 and NGAL to correlate with age (r = 0.28, P < 0.001 and r = 0.20, P < 0.05, respectively). As compared with non-smokers (n = 112), smokers (n = 43) had higher plasma levels of TNF (2.9 vs. 1.4 microg/l; P < 0.02) and of NP4 (27.5 vs. 23.4 microg/l; P < 0.05). The plasma NGAL level was higher in hypertensive women (n = 7) than in normotensive women (n = 85) (109 vs. 87 microg/l; P < 0.05). We thus demonstrated that, in subjects with asymptomatic early atherosclerosis, the plasma levels of markers of systemic leukocyte activation were correlated with age and blood pressure, and were higher in smokers and hypertensives. These results support the hypothesized relationship between the level of systemic leukocyte activation and risk factors for atherosclerotic vascular disease.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1997

Survival and incidence of myocardial infarction in men with ambulatory ECG-detected frequent and complex ventricular arrhythmias. 10 year follow-up of the 'Men born 1914' study in Malmö, Sweden.

AIM: To assess to what extent do frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias, detected during 24 h ambulatory electrocardiographic recording (ECG), influence prognosis with regard to survival and incidence of ischaemic heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: The study subjects were the 456 randomly selected men born in 1914, the population-based cohort study of 1982-83, in Malmö, Sweden. The main outcome measures were total mortality and incidence of cardiac event (myocardial infarction and death from ischaemic heart disease). Frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias (Lown classes 2-5) were detected in 49% of the men with (n = 77), and in 35% of those without, a history of myocardial infarction or angina pectoris at baseline, P = 0.019. Independent of clinically evident coronary artery disease at baseline, and after adjustment for traditional atherosclerotic risk factors and use of digitalis or beta-blocker therapy, frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias were associated with an increased mortality from ischaemic heart disease (relative risk (RR), 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.2-3.9) and an increased cardiac event rate (RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.0-2.5)). Men free from both ischaemic-type ST depression and frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias (used as the control group) had the lowest ischaemic heart disease death rate, 5.9 per 1000 person-years. The combination of ST depression and frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias was associated with an ischaemic heart disease death rate of 20.9 per 1000 person-years. The cardiac event rate in these two groups was 15.6 and 76.1 per 1000 person-years, respectively (adjusted RR, 2.3; CI, 1.1-4.6). CONCLUSIONS: In elderly men without a history of myocardial infarction and angina pectoris, frequent or complex ventricular arrhythmias during ambulatory ECG recording is associated with an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and mortality. Men who, during ambulatory ECG recording, also demonstrate ST-segment depression have an even less favourable prognosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Incidence of myocardial infarction in elderly men being treated with antihypertensive drugs: population based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association between use of antihypertensive treatment, diastolic blood pressure, and long term incidence of ischaemic cardiac events in elderly men. DESIGN: Population based cohort study. Baseline examination in 1982-3 and follow up for up to 10 years. SETTING: Malmŏ, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 484 randomly selected men born in 1914 and living in Malmŏ during 1982. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Observational comparisons of incidence rates and rate and hazard ratios of ischaemic cardiac events (myocardial infarction or death due to chronic ischaemic cardiac disease). RESULTS: The crude incidence rate of ischaemic cardiac events was higher in those subjects who were taking antihypertensive drugs than in those who were not (rate ratio 2.6 (95% confidence interval 1.7 to 3.9)). After adjustment for potential confounders (differences in baseline smoking habits, blood pressure, time since diagnosis of hypertension, ischaemic or other cardiovascular disease, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and raised serum creatinine concentration) this rate was reduced but still raised (hazard ratio 1.9 (1.0 to 3.7)). In men with diastolic blood pressure > 90 mm Hg, antihypertensive treatment was associated with a twofold increase in the incidence of ischaemic cardiac events (rate ratio 2.0 (1.1 to 3.6)), which vanished after adjustment for potential confounders (hazard ratio 1.1 (0.5 to 2.6)). In those subjects with diastolic blood pressure < or = 90 mm Hg, antihypertensive treatment was associated with fourfold increase in incidence (rate ratio 3.9 (2.1 to 7.1)), which remained after adjustment for potential confounders (hazard ratio 3.8 (1.3 to 11.0)). CONCLUSION: Antihypertensive treatment may increase the risk of myocardial infarction in elderly men with treated diastolic blood pressures < or = 90 mm Hg.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Increased risk of ischaemic heart disease mortality in elderly men using anxiolytics-hypnotics and analgesics. Results of the 10-year follow-up of the prospective population study "Men born in 1914", Malmo, Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: An increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in users of anxiolytic-hypnotic drugs (AHD) has been reported, and use of analgesics may be an additional factor. Therefore, we examined the association of AHD and analgesic use, alone and in combination, with all-cause and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality. METHODS: Multivariate 10-year survival analysis in a population based cohort of 500 men born in 1914. Relative risks (RR) were adjusted by relevant confounders (blood pressure, serum cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, smoking habit, high alcohol consumption, history of previous IHD, cancer, and other diseases). RESULTS: The RR of both all-cause and IHD mortality were significantly increased among those using both AHD and analgesics compared to those who took neither of these drugs: RR = 1.8 for all-cause mortality, and RR = 2.7 for IHD mortality. CONCLUSION: Although the number of cases was small, warranting interpretative caution, the current study suggests that the combined use of AHD (mainly benzodiazepines) and analgesics seems to be associated with an increase in all-cause and IHD mortality in elderly men.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Prognosis in elderly men with screening-detected abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVES: To study the natural course of screening-detected symptomless abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in elderly men. SETTING: Malmö, a city in southern Sweden with 230,000 inhabitants and a single referral hospital. MATERIALS: 423 seventy-four-year-old men, randomly selected from the population and belonging to the prospective population study "Men born in 1914", were invited. 343 underwent AAA screening, whereas 80 declined or had moved. CHIEF OUTCOME MEASURES: Five year all cause mortality in relation to participation in and findings at ultrasound screening for AAA. MAIN RESULTS: An abdominal aortic aneurysm was present in 38 (11%) out of 340 men who underwent screening and who had a native aorta. During 5 years of follow-up, one third (13/38) of these men died; 7 from myocardial infarction and 3 from stroke. The mortality rate in men with AAA was 80.2/1000 person years; twice as high as it was in men without AAA (39.4/1000 person years; p = 0.018). Six men underwent AAA surgery. None of them died from aneurysm rupture. However, aneurysm surgery did not reduce the total mortality rate in these men. The highest mortality rate, 91.9/1000 person years, was found in the men who did not participate in the screening. CONCLUSIONS: It is our conclusion that screening for early detection and intervention is of questionable value from a public health perspective.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Alcohol consumption modifies the total lung capacity in smokers.

Smoking-related airflow obstruction can develop with or without emphysema. Moderate alcohol consumption has been suggested to diminish the risk of centrilobular emphysema caused by smoking. Our aim was to study the influence of total energy and nutrient (protein, fat, carbohydrate and alcohol) intake on smoking-related emphysema. Lung function and nutrient intake including alcohol consumption were recorded at age of 68 years in 478 men as part of the population study 'Men Born in 1914' in Malmö, Sweden. In nonsmokers (n = 88) and ex-smokers (n = 223), there were no significant relationships between energy and nutrient intake and lung function. In smokers (n = 167), men in the highest and lowest quintile of total lung capacity (TLC) differed in alcohol intake (p = 0.004) but not in intake of total energy or other nutrients. In smokers with a forced expiratory volume in 1 s/vital capacity ratio of below 70% (n = 81), alcohol intake was positively correlated with TLC (r = 0.31; p = 0.006) after adjustment for smoking and body mass index. We conclude that in men with smoking-related airway obstruction, emphysema defined as large TLC was associated with high alcohol consumption but not with the intake of total energy or other nutrients.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Intraplatelet cyclic 3'-5' guanosine monophosphate is related to serum cholesterol.

Nitric oxide (NO) exerts its vasodilator and antiaggregatory effects through activation of soluble guanylate cyclase and the consequent increase in the concentration of cGMP in target cells. We conducted this study in order to evaluate relationships between intraplatelet cGMP levels and risk factors for atherosclerosis in middle aged subjects. Intraplatelet cGMP was determined by radioimmunoassay and related to age, BMI, blood pressure, antihypertensive treatment, total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose, HbA1c, smoking habit and intimal thickness of the common carotid artery in 265 subjects participating in a health survey (age 59 +/- 6 years, range 48-68 years, 121 females, 144 males). Intraplatelet cGMP concentration was inversely correlated with total serum cholesterol (r = -0.18; p < 0.01) and HDL cholesterol (r = -0.14, p < 0.05) as well as with platelet count (r = -0.29; p < 0.001). When platelet count was adjusted for, only the correlation between total serum cholesterol and cGMP remained significant. No significant correlations could be demonstrated between intraplatelet cGMP levels and measurable parameters of atherosclerosis. Lower levels of the vasodilating and antiaggregating mediator cGMP in platelets are related to higher levels of serum total cholesterol. These results favour the hypothesis of a relationship between lipid levels and NO associated vasodilator and antiaggregating function in atherosclerosis.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Biased risk factor assessment in prospective studies of peripheral arterial disease due to change in exposure and selective mortality of high-risk individuals.

BACKGROUND: Our aim was to assess whether risk factor assessment in prospective studies of peripheral disease (PAD) might be biased by change in exposure and selective mortality of individuals at high risk. METHODS: The cohort 'Men born in 1914' has been followed since the baseline examination 1969. PAD, (i.e. ankle-brachial pressure index < 0.9) at the age of 68 was related to risk factors measured at the age of 55 and 68. RESULTS: Hypertension was present in 64% of the men. Of these, 62% were normotensive at 55. Men with hypertension at the age of 55 had lower odds for PAD (odds ratio 1.9; 95% CI 0.8-4.5) than men who were normotensive at 55 (odds ratio 3.0. 95% CI 1.5-6.1). One-third remained smokers at 68; 27% were ex-smokers. The odds for PAD was 3.0 times higher (95% CI 1.4-6.3) in ex-smokers and 2.6 times higher (95% CI 1.3-5.4) in current smokers than in non-smokers. Less than half remained in the same cholesterol quartile. The odds for PAD was 1.5 (95% CI 0.8-2.8) in men with hypercholesterolaemia at 68 and 2.2 (95% CI 1.1-4.7) in men with hypercholesterolemia at both examinations. Smoking and hypertension at the age of 55 were both associated with an increased mortality rate: 26% Of the smokers and 31% of the men with hypertension died before the age of 68. CONCLUSION: Risk factor assessment in prospective studies of PAD is affected by change in exposure and selective mortality of individuals at high risk.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Ten year cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality in 68 year old men with asymptomatic carotid stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the natural course of carotid artery stenosis detected by ultrasonography. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. Baseline examination in 1982-3 included ultrasound examination of carotid arteries, measurement of ankle-brachial blood pressure index, and detection of atrial fibrillation by 24 hour ambulatory electrocardiography. SETTING: Malmö, a city in southern Sweden with 230,000 inhabitants. SUBJECTS: 470 men aged 68 years randomly selected from the population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of stroke and transient ischaemic attack and all cause mortality during 10 years of follow up in relation to carotid stenosis, leg artery disease (ankle-brachial blood pressure index below 0.9), and atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: Fifty men had a stroke; six of these were haemorrhagic. Another 11 had a transient ischaemic attack. Eighteen of the men with carotid stenosis (21.6 events/1000 person years) and 43 of the men with normal carotid arteries (14.8 events/1000 person years) had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack (P = 0.188). Men with atrial fibrillation had an increased rate of cerebrovascular events (36.7/1000 person years (P = 0.048). The highest rate was found in men with asymptomatic disease of the leg arteries (38.6/1000 person years) (P < 0.001). The increased risk of stroke or transient ischaemic attack in this group remained after multivariate analysis (relative risk 2.0; 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 3.7). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort carotid stenosis was not associated with an increased risk of stroke. Part of this lack of association was explained by the high mortality from ischaemic heart disease in men with severe stenosis. Twenty seven of the 61 cerebrovascular events, however, occurred in men who had normal carotid arteries, normal ankle pressure, and no atrial fibrillation.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Plethysmographic pulse wave amplitude and future leg arteriosclerosis.

A low pulse wave amplitude during calf plethysmography at 55 years of age was previously found to be associated with an increased mortality and incidence of myocardial infarction. In order to test the hypothesis that a low pulse wave amplitude is associated with an increased risk of future leg atherosclerosis as well, we have studied the relationship between a low ankle-brachial pressure index (ABPI; < 0.9) at 68 years of age and the pulse wave amplitude at 55 years of age in that same cohort. The prevalence of a low pulse wave amplitude (< or = 5 mm; lowest quintile) among men with a low ABPI (42%) was more than twice as high as it was among men who had a normal ABPI (19%) (P < 0.001). No association was found between a low ABPI and the plethysmographically recorded leg blood flow at 55 years of age. A low pulse wave amplitude might reflect early symptom-free arteriosclerosis, or age-dependent non-arteriosclerotic loss of vessel wall elasticity. The relationship between a low pulse wave amplitude and a low ABPI remained when controlling for smoking, hypertension and hyperlipidaemia. It is concluded that pulse wave measurement by plethysmography contributes information to improve leg atherosclerotic risk assessment in individuals exposed to known risk factors.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Low pulse-wave amplitude during reactive leg hyperaemia: an independent, early marker for ischaemic heart disease and death. Results from the 21-year follow-up of the prospective cohort study 'Men born in 1914', Malmö, Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence of myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality and mortality from ischaemic heart disease in relation to arterial leg blood flow determined by venous occlusion plethysmography of the calf. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study 'Men born in 1914'. SETTING: Malmö, a city in southern Sweden with 256,000 inhabitants, and a single referral hospital. SUBJECTS: Six-hundred and thirty-six 55-year-old men, randomly selected from the general population. None of them had signs or symptoms of leg artery disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All-cause mortality, morbidity and mortality from ischaemic heart disease during 21 years of follow-up following the initial examination in 1968. RESULTS: A low pulse-wave amplitude (i.e. < 5 mm) during reactive hyperaemia was, independently of other known arteriosclerotic risk factors, associated with a higher cardiac event rate of 37.1% (relative risk: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.3-3.6) and a higher all-cause mortality rate of 62.9% (relative risk: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2-2.4) during 21 years of follow-up. No other plethysmographically recorded variable was associated with an increased mortality and cardiac event rate. CONCLUSIONS: The plethysmographically recorded pulse-wave amplitude during reactive hyperaemia can be used as an early independent marker to identify individuals at risk of developing ischaemic heart disease and death at an early age.

Aged↗