Socioeconomic Position and Risk of Disease Progression and Death in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Danish Nation-Wide Population-Based Cohort Study

Abstract Background: Five-year overall survival for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is around 30%. Adverse prognostic factors include advancing age, higher blast cell percentage, poor risk cytogenetics, two or more cytopenias, high burden of comorbidity, and transfusion-dependency. The impact of socioeconomic position on clinical outcomes in MDS patients is however unclear. In this nationwide population-based cohort-study, we therefore examined the associations between the individual-level socioeconomic markers education level, cohabitation status, and income, and the risk of progression to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and all-cause mortality among MDS patients. Methods: Using the Danish Myelodysplastic Syndromes Database, we identified all patients with incident MDS diagnosed between January 1st 2010 and December 31th 2018. The database holds valid and detailed patient- and disease-characteristics on all Danish MDS patients diagnosed since 2010. We linked the study-population with individual-level information on education, cohabitation status, income, comorbidity, progression to AML, and vital status retrieved from high-quality Danish population-based registries. We computed absolute risks of progression to AML and all-cause mortality using the cumulative incidence (risk) function accounting for death as competing risk when AML was the outcome. Also, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year relative risks (RRs) of progression to AML and death were computed using the pseudovalue approach. All results were given crude and adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic position (SEP), comorbidity and subtype of MDS according to the "International Prognostic Scoring System" (IPSS) and with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The final cohort comprised 2233 MDS patients (median age 75 years, 63% males). Median follow-up time was 1.7 years. The 1-year risks of progression to AML was similar across education levels (long education (>13 years): 5%, medium education (9-12 years): 6%, short education (<9 years): 6%. In adjusted models, there were no associations between education, income or cohabitation status and risk of progression to AML (Table 1). Still, patients with a short education had higher 1-year all-cause mortality (33%) compared to those with medium (22%) and longer education (21%) (Figure 1). In adjusted models the risk of death one year from diagnosis was higher in patients with short vs. longer education [RR=1.26 (95% CI: 1.03-1.55)], in patients with lower vs. higher income [RR=1.43 (95% CI: 1.17-1.75)], and among patients who were living alone compared to those who lived with someone [RR=1.19 (1.02-1.39)]. The increased risk of death among patients with short education, low income, and those who lived alone persisted after 3-year and 5-years of follow-up (Table 1). Conclusion: In a real world setting, shorter education, living alone, and lower income were not associated with increased risk of progression to AML but with inferior survival in Danish MDS patients. These results suggest that in spite of "free and equal access" to healthcare and cancer treatment in Denmark, short education, living alone, and low income are adverse prognostic factors for patients with MDS. Further analyses are ongoing to get insight into the mechanisms driving these socioeconomic disparities in MDS patients. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

Cardiovascular risk associated with allopurinol vs. benzbromarone in patients with gout

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehab619 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Eun Ha Kang ◽

Eun Hye Park ◽

Anna Shin ◽

Jung Soo Song ◽

Seoyoung C Kim

Keyword(s):

Coronary Revascularization ◽

Large Population ◽

Population Based ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Uricosuric Agents ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Insurance Claims Data ◽

Health Insurance Claims Data ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

Abstract Aims With the high prevalence of gout and associated cardiovascular (CV) diseases, information on the comparative CV safety of individual urate-lowering drugs becomes increasingly important. However, few studies examined the CV risk of uricosuric agents. We compared CV risk among patients with gout who initiated allopurinol vs. benzbromarone. Methods and results Using the Korean National Health Insurance claims data (2002–17), we conducted a cohort study of 124 434 gout patients who initiated either allopurinol (n = 103 695) or benzbromarone (n = 20 739), matched on propensity score at a 5:1 ratio. The primary outcome was a composite CV endpoint of myocardial infarction, stroke/transient ischaemic attack, or coronary revascularization. To account for competing risk of death, we used cause-specific hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the outcomes comparing allopurinol initiators with benzbromarone. Over a mean follow-up of 1.16 years, 2258 patients developed a composite CV event. The incidence rate of the composite CV event was higher in allopurinol initiators (1.81 per 100 person-years) than benzbromarone (1.61 per 100 person-years) with a HR of 1.22 (95% CI 1.05–1.41). The HR for all-cause mortality was 1.66 (95% CI 1.43–1.93) among allopurinol initiators compared with benzbromarone. Conclusion In this large population-based cohort of gout patients, allopurinol was associated with an increased risk of composite CV events and all-cause mortality compared to benzbromarone. Benzbromarone may reduce CV risk and mortality in patients with gout, although more studies are necessary to confirm our findings and to advance our understanding of the underlying mechanisms.

Download Full-text

Body mass index and risk of all-cause mortality in normotensive and hypertensive adults: The Rural Chinese Cohort Study

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021001592 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-25

Author(s):

Qionggui Zhou ◽

Xuejiao Liu ◽

Yang Zhao ◽

Pei Qin ◽

Yongcheng Ren ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Population Based ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Hypertension Status ◽

Moderation Effect ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Chinese Cohort ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objective: The impact of baseline hypertension status on the BMI–mortality association is still unclear. We aimed to examine the moderation effect of hypertension on the BMI–mortality association using a rural Chinese cohort. Design: In this cohort study, we investigated the incident of mortality according to different BMI categories by hypertension status. Setting: Longitudinal population-based cohort Participants: 17,262 adults ≥18 years were recruited from July to August of 2013 and July to August of 2014 from a rural area in China. Results: During a median 6-year follow-up, we recorded 1109 deaths (610 with and 499 without hypertension). In adjusted models, as compared with BMI 22-24 kg/m2, with BMI ≤18, 18-20, 20-22, 24-26, 26-28, 28-30 and >30 kg/m2, the HRs (95% CI) for mortality in normotensive participants were 1.92 (1.23-3.00), 1.44 (1.01-2.05), 1.14 (0.82-1.58), 0.96 (0.70-1.31), 0.96 (0.65-1.43), 1.32 (0.81-2.14), and 1.32 (0.74-2.35) respectively, and in hypertensive participants were 1.85 (1.08-3.17), 1.67 (1.17-2.39), 1.29 (0.95-1.75), 1.20 (0.91-1.58), 1.10 (0.83-1.46), 1.10 (0.80-1.52), and 0.61 (0.40-0.94) respectively. The risk of mortality was lower in individuals with hypertension with overweight or obesity versus normal weight, especially in older hypertensives (≥60 years old). Sensitivity analyses gave consistent results for both normotensive and hypertensive participants. Conclusions: Low BMI was significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality regardless of hypertension status in rural Chinese adults, but high BMI decreased the mortality risk among individuals with hypertension, especially in older hypertensives.

Download Full-text

Higher sRAGE Levels Predict Mortality in Frail Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease

Gerontology ◽

10.1159/000512287 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Lee Butcher ◽

Jose Antonio Carnicero ◽

Karine Pérès ◽

Marco Colpo ◽

David Gomez Cabrero ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Population Based ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Roc Curve Analysis ◽

Baseline Serum ◽

Frailty Status ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Survival Difference ◽

Increased Risk

Introduction: The evidence that blood levels of the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) predict mortality in people with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is inconsistent. To clarify this matter, we investigated if frailty status influences this association. Methods: We analysed data of 1,016 individuals (median age, 75 years) from 3 population-based European cohorts, enrolled in the FRAILOMIC project. Participants were stratified by history of CVD and frailty status. Mortality was recorded during 8 years of follow-up. Results: In adjusted Cox regression models, baseline serum sRAGE was positively associated with an increased risk of mortality in participants with CVD (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.09–2.49, p = 0.019) but not in non-CVD. Within the CVD group, the risk of death was markedly enhanced in the frail subgroup (CVD-F, HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.18–3.29, p = 0.009), compared to the non-frail subgroup (CVD-NF, HR 1.50, 95% CI 0.71–3.15, p = 0.287). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the median survival time of CVD-F with high sRAGE (>1,554 pg/mL) was 2.9 years shorter than that of CVD-F with low sRAGE, whereas no survival difference was seen for CVD-NF. Area under the ROC curve analysis demonstrated that for CVD-F, addition of sRAGE to the prediction model increased its prognostic value. Conclusions: Frailty status influences the relationship between sRAGE and mortality in older adults with CVD. sRAGE could be used as a prognostic marker of mortality for these individuals, particularly if they are also frail.

Download Full-text

Acute cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in patients with hyperthyroidism: a population-based cohort study

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/eje-16-0576 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 176 (1) ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Olaf M Dekkers ◽

Erzsébet Horváth-Puhó ◽

Suzanne C Cannegieter ◽

Jan P Vandenbroucke ◽

Henrik Toft Sørensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Population Based ◽

Arterial Embolism ◽

Registration System ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality

Objective Several studies have shown an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in hyperthyroidism, but most studies have been too small to address the effect of hyperthyroidism on individual cardiovascular endpoints. Our main aim was to assess the association among hyperthyroidism, acute cardiovascular events and mortality. Design It is a nationwide population-based cohort study. Data were obtained from the Danish Civil Registration System and the Danish National Patient Registry, which covers all Danish hospitals. We compared the rate of all-cause mortality as well as venous thromboembolism (VTE), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic and non-ischemic stroke, arterial embolism, atrial fibrillation (AF) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the two cohorts. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Results The study included 85 856 hyperthyroid patients and 847 057 matched population-based controls. Mean follow-up time was 9.2 years. The HR for mortality was highest in the first 3 months after diagnosis of hyperthyroidism: 4.62, 95% CI: 4.40–4.85, and remained elevated during long-term follow-up (>3 years) (HR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.33–1.37). The risk for all examined cardiovascular events was increased, with the highest risk in the first 3 months after hyperthyroidism diagnosis. The 3-month post-diagnosis risk was highest for atrial fibrillation (HR: 7.32, 95% CI: 6.58–8.14) and arterial embolism (HR: 6.08, 95% CI: 4.30–8.61), but the risks of VTE, AMI, ischemic and non-ischemic stroke and PCI were increased also 2- to 3-fold. Conclusions We found an increased risk for all-cause mortality and acute cardiovascular events in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Download Full-text

Sudden death in patients with sleep apnea: a systematic review and meta-analysis

10.1101/2020.05.06.20093641 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Emily S. Heilbrunn ◽

Paddy Ssentongo ◽

Vernon M. Chinchilli ◽

Anna E. Ssentongo

Keyword(s):

Sleep Apnea ◽

Sudden Death ◽

Cardiovascular Mortality ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cardiac Mortality ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Obstructive Sleep ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality

AbstractBackgroundOver 1 billion individuals across the globe experience some form of sleep apnea, and this number is steadily rising. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can negatively influence one’s quality of life and potentially increase the risk of mortality. However, this association between OSA and mortality has not been comprehensively and thoroughly explored. This meta-analysis was conducted to conclusively estimate the risk of death for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in OSA patients.Study Design4,613 articles from databases including PUBMED, OVID & Joana Briggs, and SCOPUS were comprehensively assessed by two reviewers (AES & ESH) for inclusion criteria. 28 total articles were included, with 22 of them being used for quantitative analysis. Pooled effects of all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality, and sudden death were calculated by utilizing the metaprop function in R Statistical Software and the random-effects model with appropriate 95% confidence intervals.ResultsAnalysis on 42,032 individuals revealed that those with OSA were twice as likely to die from cardiac mortality compared to those without sleep apnea (HR= 1.94, 95%CI 1.39-2.70). Likewise, individuals with OSA were 1.7 times as likely to die from all-cause sudden death compared to individuals without sleep apnea (HR= 1.74, 95%CI 1.40-2.10). There was a significant dose response relationship between severity of sleep apnea and incidence risk of death, where those with severe sleep apnea wereConclusionsIndividuals with obstructive sleep apnea are at an increased risk for all-cause mortality and cardiac mortality. Further research related to appropriate interventions and treatments are necessary in order to reduce this risk and optimize survival in this population.Key MessagesWhat is the key question?Are individuals with sleep apnea at an increased risk for cardiovascular mortality and sudden death?What is the bottom Line?Sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and sudden death, with a dose response relationship, where those with severe sleep apnea are at the highest risk of mortality.Why read on?This is the first systematic review and meta-analyses to synthesize and quantify the risk of mortality in those with sleep apnea, highlighting important directions for future research.Prospero Registration IDCRD42020164941

Download Full-text

Metabolome-defined obesity and the risk of future diabetes and mortality

10.1101/2021.11.03.21265744 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Filip Ottosson ◽

Einar Smith ◽

Ulrika Ericson ◽

Salvatore Di Somma ◽

Paola Antonini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

High Risk ◽

Population Based ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Plasma Metabolites ◽

Italian Population ◽

Related Risk ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Future Diabetes

Background Obesity is a key risk factor for type 2 diabetes, however, up to 20% of patients are normal weight. Our aim was to identify metabolite patterns reproducibly predictive of BMI, and subsequently to test if lean individuals who carry an obese metabolome are at hidden high risk of obesity related diseases, such as diabetes. Methods We measured 109 metabolites in fasted plasma samples of 7663 individuals from two Swedish and one Italian population-based cohort. Ridge regression models were used to predict BMI using the plasma metabolites. Individuals with a predicted BMI either more than 5 kg/m2 higher (overestimated) or lower (underestimated) than their actual BMI were characterized as outliers and further investigated for obesity related risk factors and future risk of diabetes and mortality. Results The plasma metabolome could predict BMI in all cohorts (r2 = 0.48, 0.26 and 0.19). The overestimated group had a BMI similar to individuals correctly predicted as normal weight, similar waist circumference, were not more likely to change weight over time but had a 2 times higher risk of future diabetes and an 80 % increased risk of all-cause mortality. These associations remained after adjustments for obesity-related risk factors and lifestyle parameters. Conclusions We found that lean individuals with an obese metabolome, have an increased risk for diabetes and all-cause mortality compared to lean individuals with a healthy metabolome. Metabolomics may be used to identify hidden high-risk individuals, in order to initiate lifestyle and pharmacological interventions.

Download Full-text

Colorectal cancer survival among Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNG-HA) population 2009–2017: retrospective study

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-021-08705-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mesnad Alyabsi ◽

Fouad Sabatin ◽

Majed Ramadan ◽

Abdul Rahman Jazieh

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Distant Metastasis ◽

Cancer Survival ◽

National Guard ◽

Population Based ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Cox Proportional Hazard Models

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most diagnosed cancer among males and third among females in Saudi Arabia, with up to two-third diagnosed at advanced stage. The objective of our study was to estimate CRC survival and determine prognostic factors. Methods Ministry of National Guard- Health Affairs (MNG-HA) registry data was utilized to identify patients diagnosed with CRC between 2009 and 2017. Cases were followed until December 30th, 2017 to assess their one-, three-, and five-year CRC-specific survivals. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess survival from CRC. Results A total of 1012 CRC patients were diagnosed during 2009–2017. Nearly, one-fourth of the patients presented with rectal tumor, 42.89% with left colon and 33.41% of the cases were diagnosed at distant metastasis stage. The overall one-, three-, and five-year survival were 83, 65 and 52.0%, respectively. The five-year survival was 79.85% for localized stage, 63.25% for regional stage and 20.31% for distant metastasis. Multivariate analyses showed that age, diagnosis period, stage, nationality, basis of diagnosis, morphology and location of tumor were associated with survival. Conclusions Findings reveal poor survival compared to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) population. Diagnoses at late stage and no surgical and/or perioperative chemotherapy were associated with increased risk of death. Population-based screening in this population should be considered.

Download Full-text

Association of Longitudinal Change in High-Sensitivity Troponin with All-Cause Mortality in Coronary Artery Disease: The Heart and Soul Study

Cardiology ◽

10.1159/000503954 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 145 (2) ◽

pp. 63-70

Author(s):

Yaanik B. Desai ◽

Rakesh K. Mishra ◽

Qizhi Fang ◽

Mary A. Whooley ◽

Nelson B. Schiller

Keyword(s):

Coronary Artery Disease ◽

Coronary Artery ◽

High Sensitivity ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Longitudinal Change ◽

Clinical Variables ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Artery Disease

Background: Serial increases in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTnT) have been associated with death in community-dwelling adults, but the association remains uninvestigated in those with coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: We measured hs-cTnT at baseline and after 5 years in 635 ambulatory Heart and Soul Study patients with CAD. We also performed echocardiography at rest and after treadmill exercise at baseline and after 5 years. Participants were subsequently followed for the outcome of death. We used a multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model to evaluate the association between 5-year change in hs-cTnT and subsequent all-cause mortality. Results: Of the 635 subjects, there were 386 participants (61%) who had an increase in hs-cTnT levels between baseline and year 5 measurements (median increase 5.6 pg/mL, IQR 3.2–9.9 pg/mL). There were 182 deaths after a mean 4.2-year follow-up after the year 5 visit. After adjusting for clinical variables, a >50% increase in hs-cTnT between baseline and year 5 was associated with a nearly 2-fold increased risk of death from any cause (hazard ratio 1.7, 95% confidence interval 1.1–2.7). When addition of year 5 hs-cTnT was compared to a model including clinical variables and baseline hs-cTnT, there was a modest but statistically significant increase in C-statistic from 0.82 to 0.83 (p = 0.04). Conclusion: In ambulatory patients with CAD, serial increases in hs-cTnT over time are associated with an increased risk of death.

Download Full-text

Biomarker-assisted identification of sepsis-related acute liver impairment: a frequent and deadly condition in critically ill patients

Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (CCLM) ◽

10.1515/cclm-2018-1350 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 57 (9) ◽

pp. 1422-1431 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jens-Ulrik Stæhr Jensen ◽

Lars Peters ◽

Theis S. Itenov ◽

Morten Bestle ◽

Katrin M. Thormar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Critically Ill ◽

Critically Ill Patients ◽

Prognostic Impact ◽

Surgical Intensive Care ◽

Positive Interaction ◽

Liver Impairment ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Co Morbidity ◽

All Cause Mortality

Abstract Background The prognostic impact of mild/moderate liver impairment among critically ill patients is not known. We aimed to determine whether acute liver impairment, as measured by several biomarkers, (i) is frequent, (ii) influences prognosis and (iii) to determine whether such an effect is specific for infected critically ill patients. Methods A biomarker and clinical cohort study based on a randomized controlled trial. All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint. Biomarkers hyaluronic acid (HA), bilirubin, albumin, alkaline phosphatase and the international normalized ratio (INR) were determined. Multivariable statistics were applied to estimate risk increase according to liver biomarker increase at baseline and the model was adjusted for age, APACHE II, severe sepsis/septic shock vs. milder infection, chronic alcohol abuse Charlson’s co-morbidity index, cancer disease, surgical or medical patient, body mass index, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate, mechanical ventilation and the other biomarkers. Time-to-event graphs were used. The patients were critically ill patients (n = 1096) from nine mixed medical/surgical intensive care units without known hepatobiliary disease. Results HA levels differed between infected patients (median 210.8 ng/mL [IQR: 93.2–556.6]) vs. the non-infected (median 56.8 ng/mL [IQR: 31.9–116.8], p < 0.001). Serum HA quartiles 2, 3 and 4 were independent predictors of 90-day all-cause mortality for the entire population (infected and non-infected). However, the signal was driven by the infected patients (positive interaction test, no signal in non-infected patients). Among infected patients, HA quartiles corresponded directly to the 90-day risk of dying: 1st quartile: 57/192 = 29.7%, 2nd quartile: 84/194 = 43.3%, 3rd quartile: 90/193 = 46.6%, 4th quartile: 101/192 = 52.3 %, p for trend: <0.0001. This finding was confirmed in adjusted analyses: hazard ratio vs. 1st quartile: 2nd quartile: 1.3 [0.9–1.8], p = 0.14, 3rd quartile: 1.5 [1.1–2.2], p = 0.02, 4th quartile: 1.9 [1.3–2.6], p < 0.0001). High bilirubin was also an independent predictor of mortality. Conclusions Among infected critically ill patients, subtle liver impairment, (elevated HA and bilirubin), was associated with a progressive and highly increased risk of death for the patient; this was robust to adjustment for other predictors of mortality. HA can identify patients at high risk.

Download Full-text

6074Cardiorespiratory fitness, socioeconomic status and mortality in middle-aged men: a population-based prospective cohort study

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehz746.0122 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

S Y Jae ◽

S Kurl ◽

B A Franklin ◽

J Choo ◽

H J Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Population Based ◽

Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽

Low Ses ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Material Standard Of Living ◽

Cvd Mortality

Abstract Background Although both low socioeconomic status (SES) and poor cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with increased chronic disease and a heightened risk of death, it remains unclear whether moderate-to-high levels of CRF confer survival benefits in low SES populations. Purpose The present study evaluated the hypothesis that SES and CRF predict all-cause mortality (ACM), cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and sudden cardiac death (SCD), and that moderate-to-high levels of CRF may attenuate the associations between low SES and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Methods This prospective study was based on a population-based sample of 2,368 men aged 42 to 61 years, who were followed in the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease cohort. CRF was directly measured by peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) during progressive exercise testing to volitional fatigue. SES was characterized using self-reported questionnaires via combined measures of income, education, occupation, occupational prestige, material standard of living, and housing conditions. CRF and SES were divided into tertiles, and 4 combined groups (Fit-high SES, Fit-low SES, Unfit-high SES, and Unfit-low SES) based on the median values of CRF and SES. Results During a 25 year median follow-up (interquartile ranges: 18–27 years), 1116 ACM, 512 CVD mortality and 221 SCD events occurred. After adjusting for potential confounders (age, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose, diabetes, hypertensive medication, family history of coronary heart disease, and physical activity), the lowest levels of SES were at significantly increased risk for ACM (hazard ratio (HR) 1.49, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.30–1.71), CVD mortality (HR 1.38, 1.13–1.69) and SCD (HR 1.34, 0.97–1.84). In contrast, higher levels of CRF were associated with lower risks of ACM (HR 0.56, 0.46–0.67), CVD mortality (HR 0.53, 0.40–0.71) and SCD (HR 0.53, 0.34–0.83). In combined associations of SES and CRF with mortality, unfit-low SES had significantly higher risks of ACM (HR 2.12, 1.75–2.57), CVD mortality (HR 2.20, 1.64–2.94) and SCD (HR 2.95, 1.79–4.86), but fit-low SES was not associated with a heightened risk of cardiovascular mortality or SCD (CVD mortality, 1.03, 0.73–1.46; SCD, 1.54, 0.87–2.72) as compared with their fit-high SES counterparts (reference). Conclusion Our findings indicate that both SES and CRF are independently associated with the risk of death; however, moderate-to-high levels of CRF appear to attenuate the risk of CVD mortality and SCD in low SES men. These unique data have important implications for public health interventions designed to enhance survival in underserved population cohorts.

Download Full-text