Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Outcome Definitions Quiz

Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium Study Findings

• Study used Poisson regression with log-transformed follow-up time as an offset to estimate events per 1000 person-years.
• Direct standardization by age distribution in the Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium data set was used to compute 10-year incidence of events and events per 1000 person-years per geographic region.
• The 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease varied by region and gender, with higher rates in men than in women.
• Cardiovascular disease appeared to develop in women at older ages than in men.
• All-cause mortality rates also varied by region and gender, with higher rates in men compared to women.
• Subdistribution hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease were calculated with death from noncardiovascular causes as the competing event.
• Associations between risk factors and cardiovascular disease and death from any cause were examined using continuous risk factors and nonlinear effects.
• Unadjusted risk factor–associated hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease and death from any cause were provided.
• The association with body mass index appeared consistent across all ages, while the strength of associations with systolic blood pressure, current smoking, and diabetes decreased with age.
• The study conducted sensitivity analyses, including landmark analyses and models with an alternative definition of cardiovascular disease.
• Widths of the 95% confidence intervals were not adjusted for multiplicity and should not be used in place of hypothesis testing.
• Certain regions and time frames had limitations in estimating 10-year incidence of events due to the short follow-up period or low number of recorded events.

Cardiovascular Disease Incidence and Mortality by Region and Sex

• The study estimated the 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality by region and sex
• The 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease was highest in men in North America and lowest in men in Asia
• Women tended to develop cardiovascular disease at older ages compared to men
• All-cause mortality was highest in men in sub-Saharan Africa and lowest in men in Australia
• The study used direct standardization by age distribution for incidence calculations
• The follow-up in Latin America was shorter than 10 years, so 10-year incidence estimates were not possible
• The 10-year incidence of events and events per 1000 person-years were not estimated due to low event numbers in some regions
• Subdistribution hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease were calculated with noncardiovascular death as the competing event
• The study analyzed associations between risk factors and cardiovascular disease and death from any cause
• The association with body mass index was consistent across all ages, while the strength of associations with systolic blood pressure, smoking, and diabetes decreased with age
• Hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease and death from any cause were provided for continuous risk factors
• The study conducted sensitivity analyses and provided unadjusted risk factor–associated hazard ratios for cardiovascular disease and death from any cause

Test your knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and outcome definitions with this quiz. Explore the impact of body-mass index, systolic blood pressure, non-HDL cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes on cardiovascular disease and overall mortality.