Faculty Collaboration Database

Body mass index and total and cardiovascular mortality in men with a history of cardiovascular disease. Arch Intern Med 2004 Nov 22;164(21):2326-32

Date

11/24/2004

Pubmed ID

15557411

DOI

10.1001/archinte.164.21.2326

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-8844272525 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   53 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Previous studies designed to identify an association between body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) and cardiovascular or total mortality in populations with known atherosclerotic disease have shown conflicting results. In this study, we used the Physicians' Health Study enrollment cohort to examine the risk of total and cardiovascular mortality among men reporting a history of myocardial infarction or stroke, excluding those who reported a history of cancer.

METHODS: Cause-specific death was ascertained for 5010 men during a mean follow-up of 5.0 years. End points were classified as total deaths and deaths due to cardiovascular causes. Four BMI categories (<22.0, 22.0-24.9 [referent], 25.0-27.9, and > or =28.0) were created a priori. We used proportional hazards models to calculate age and multivariate-adjusted relative risks (RRs) for each BMI category for each end point.

RESULTS: Compared with men with a BMI of 22.0 to 24.9, men with a BMI of 28.0 or greater had an age-adjusted RR of 1.11 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-1.36), a multivariate RR of 1.04 (95% CI, 0.84-1.28) in a model that did not include biological mediators of obesity, and a multivariate RR of 1.06 (95% CI, 0.78-1.44) in a model that included these mediators. The RRs for cardiovascular mortality were similar, at 1.07 (95% CI, 0.85-1.35), 1.01 (95% CI, 0.79-1.29), and 1.01 (95% CI, 0.71-1.43), respectively. A BMI of less than 22.0 was associated with a small increased risk of total mortality and cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that elevated BMI may not be strongly associated with total or cardiovascular mortality among men with previously manifested coronary artery disease.

Author List

Widlansky ME, Sesso HD, Rexrode KM, Manson JE, Gaziano JM

Author

Michael E. Widlansky MD Associate Director, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Body Mass Index
Cardiovascular Diseases
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Myocardial Infarction
Proportional Hazards Models
Risk Factors
Stroke