Levels Of Cardiovascular Health Research Articles

The inverse relationship between Life’s Essential 8 and risk of metabolic syndrome: evidence from NHANES 2005-2018

BackgroundMetabolic syndrome (MetS) has a close association with cardiovascular diseases. Few studies have investigated the association of Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), the updated measurement of cardiovascular health (CVH), with MetS.MethodsThe National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2018) data was extracted. The LE8 comprised 4 health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep health) and 4 health factors [body mass index (BMI), blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure (BP)]. The total LE8 score is the average of 8 metric scores (0-100), categorized into low (0–49), moderate (50–79), and high CVH (80–100) levels. Multivariable logistic regression models, restricted cubic spline models and stratified analyses were performed to examine the relationship between LE8 and MetS.ResultsIn this study, a total of 21,543 participants represented 146.6 million non-institutionalized U.S. adults. Following adjustment for various potential covariates, participants who attained a moderate [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.234, 95% CI: 0.209, 0.262] or a high CVH level (AOR = 0.026, 95% CI: 0.021, 0.032) exhibited an inverse correlation with MetS risks when comparing those with a low CVH level. An inverse linear dose-response relationship between LE8 scores and MetS risks was also identified (P for nonlinearity > 0.05).ConclusionsLE8 was inversely associated with the risk of MetS. Adhering to LE8 guidelines to sustain a higher CVH level may be beneficial for preventing MetS.

Sex sifferences in lifes essential eight and its association with mortality among adults without known CVD

Abstract Background The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score is a helpful tool to quantify cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. Sex differences in relation to LE8 and its association with mortality are not known. Methods The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2009 and 2018 was utilized to evaluate the prevalence of health metrics included in LE8 among adult patients, stratified by sex. Health metrics were further subdivided into health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep) and health factors (body mass index, non–high density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure). LE8 scores were also evaluated based on age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between the levels of CVH and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Results Among 22,761 participants, 52% were female. Overall CVH score was similar in both females and males (65.8 vs. 65.9). Females had higher health factors score (64.3 vs. 63.1, p <0.001) and lower health behaviors score (67.2 vs 68.6, p <0.001). Amongst individual metrics, blood pressure score was higher in females (73.2 vs. 67.7, p <0.001) while males had higher physical activity score (70.6 vs. 54.9, p <0.001). For individuals under 65 years of age, overall CVH and health factors scores were higher in females while in those age 65 or older, males had higher scores. The most prominent sex differences were noted in non-Hispanic Black females who had significantly lower CVH scores than Black males. High or moderate LE8 scores vs. low LE8 scores demonstrated lower all-cause and CV mortality in both sexes (p-interaction 0.98 and 0.9). High or moderate health behaviors scores also demonstrated a significant association with lower all-cause and CV mortality, with the reduction in mortality being more prominent in females (p-interaction 0.01 and 0.03). Conclusions We demonstrate important sex differences in CVH metrics along with notable variations based on age and race/ethnicity. Furthermore, we highlight sex differences in the association of CVH metrics with mortality. These findings underscore the importance of designing and implementing effective strategies for both sexes, aimed at targeting these specific factors.

Association of lifes essential 8 and mortality among adults with and without CVD

Abstract Background Differences in the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score and its association with mortality based on the presence of clinically prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) has not been assessed previously. Methods Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2018 was utilized to calculate LE8 scores among adult patients, stratified by the presence of existing CVD. Health metrics were further divided into health behaviors and health factors. Scores were also evaluated based on sex, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between the levels of cardiovascular health (CVH) and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Results 25,359 patients were included in the analysis, of which 10.2% had known CVD. Individuals with known CVD had lower overall CVH (55.9 vs. 65.8, p <0.001), health behaviors (60.6 vs. 67.9, p <0.001), and health factors (51.3 vs. 63.8, p <0.001) scores. The lower CVH scores in those with prior CVD persisted after stratification by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. When assessing the association of CVH metrics with mortality, for every 10-point increase in LE8 score, there was a significant reduction (17%-27%) in all-cause and CV mortality in those with and without CVD. Conclusions Individuals with known CVD have lower CVH metric scores. Overall, the LE8 score is able to predict future CV outcomes in both individuals with and without CVD and highlights the importance of effective implementation strategies that target health factors and behaviors in primary and secondary prevention populations.

The correlation between Life’s essential 8 and cardiovascular disease and mortality in individuals with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study

It is currently unclear whether there is a connection between Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as mortality in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our goal was to explore these relationships by examining data collected in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2018. We identified eligible participants with NAFLD based on NHANES 2005–2018 data. CVD status was acquired through self-reported information, and using the National Death Index, mortality data were prospectively matched. The diagnosis of NAFLD relied on noninvasive biomarkers. The research involved 9094 individuals who were identified as having NAFLD, with a mean age of 52.05 years. Each incremental LE8 score exhibited a significant association, leading to a 3%, 3%, 4%, 3%, 3%, 4%, and 4% reduction in the odds of experiencing CVD, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, heart attack, angina, and stroke in individuals with NAFLD. A strong correlation was found between maintaining a superior level of Cardiovascular Health (CVH), as shown by a LE8 score ranging from 80 to 100, and a reduced occurrence of CVD and its various forms in NAFLD (all p for trend < 0.0001). Likewise, LE8 demonstrated protective benefits on mortality in NAFLD, showing that following a high CVH (in contrast to low CVH) was linked to reductions of 64%, 71%, and 74% in all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality, respectively. Restricted cubic spline analyses suggested noteworthy dose-response relationships between LE8 and CVD, specifically its types in NAFLD, and a nonlinear correlation with CVD mortality. Interaction analyses highlighted age and race as significant effect modifiers. CVH, as evaluated by LE8, demonstrated an independent association with decreased odds of CVD and mortality risk in individuals with NAFLD. Our findings substantiate that adhering to LE8 may alleviate the excessive burden of CVD and mortality in the context of NAFLD.

Association between Life's Essential 8 and cognitive function among older adults in the United States

The American Heart Association (AHA) recently redefined cardiovascular health (CVH) with the introduction of Life's Essential 8 (LE8), which encompasses eight areas (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep duration body mass index, non-HDL cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure). This study aimed to explore the relationships between both the aggregate and individual CVH metrics, as defined by Life's Essential 8, and cognitive function in older adults in the United States. This cross-sectional, population-based study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2011 and 2014, focusing on individuals aged 60 years and older. CVH was categorized as low (0–49), moderate (50–79), or high (80–100). Cognitive function was assessed through the CERAD tests, Animal Fluency test, and Digit Symbol Substitution test. Multivariable logistic models and restricted cubic spline models were employed to investigate these associations. This study included a total of 2279 older adults in the United States. Only 11% of adults achieved a high total CVH score, while 12% had a low score. After further adjustment for potential confounding factors, higher LE8 scores were significantly associated with higher scores on CERAD: delayed recall score (0.02[0.01, 0.03]; P < 0.001), CERAD: total score (3 recall trials) (0.04[0.02, 0.06]; P < 0.001), animal fluency: total score (0.09[0.05, 0.12]; P < 0.001), and digit symbol: score (0.29[0.18, 0.41]; P < 0.001), demonstrating a linear dose–response relationship. Similar patterns were also observed in the associations between health behavior and health factor scores with cognitive function tests. LE8 scores exhibited positive linear associations with cognitive function. Maintaining better levels of CVH may be associated with higher levels of cognitive function in older Americans, but further research is needed to confirm the causal and temporal relationships between LE8 and cognitive function.

Association between cardiovascular health and all-cause mortality risk in patients with osteoarthritis

BackgroundThis study was to explore the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) and the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with osteoarthritis (OA).MethodsThis cohort study retrieved the data of 3642 patients with OA aged ≥ 20 years from the 2007—2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). CVH was evaluated based on Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) includes diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure. The outcome of all-cause mortality was assessed using the death certificate records of participants from the National Death Index. Variables that might affect all-cause mortality were used as covariates. The weighted univariate COX proportional hazards model was used to explore the association between each covariate and all-cause mortality. The weighted univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazards models were used to explore the association between different CVH levels and all-cause mortality. A restricted cubic spline (RCS) curve was plotted to show the association between different CVH levels and all-cause mortality in OA patients. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated.ResultsFindings show that people with moderate CVH (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.45—0.98) and high CVH (HR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.26—0.87) were associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality in patients with OA. The HR of all-cause mortality in patients with OA decreased by 0.12 as per 10 points increase of LE8 score (HR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.73—0.90). The RCS curve revealed that the HR of all-cause mortality decreased with the increase in LE8 score. The survival probability of patients in the high CVH group was higher than the moderate CVH group and low CVH group (p = 0.002).ConclusionModerate-to-high CVH is associated with a decreased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with OA. These findings might provide a reference for the formulation of prognosis improvement strategies for the management of patients with OA.

Association between composite dietary antioxidant index and cardiovascular health: Results from two observational studies

BackgroundThe effect of dietary antioxidant capacity on health has attracted increasing attention, but unequivocal evidence for its benefits on cardiovascular diseases is still lacking. ObjectivesOur aim was to assess the association between composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) and Life’s Essential 8 (LE8), an evaluation indicator of cardiovascular health (CVH), in two large cohorts. MethodsThe cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018 and Community Cohort Study on Specialized Nervous System Diseases (CCSNSD) 2018. The relationship between CDAI and CVH was studied by multinomial logistic regression, restricted cubic spline, subgroup and sensitivity analysis. ResultsAfter adjusting for all potential confounding factors, it suggested that higher CDAI was positively associated with higher CVH (NHANES: OR Q4 vs. Q1 = 0.19, 95 % CI: 0.14–0.25; CCSNSD: OR Q4 vs. Q1 = 0.03, 95 % CI: 0.03–0.04). And a nonlinear dose–response relationship between CDAI and CVH was observed in two large cohorts. The robustness of the results was further demonstrated by sensitivity analysis. Among them, Mendelian randomization analysis showed that higher Vitamin C and Vitamin E intakes were causally associated with a lower risk of CVD. Moreover, there was a stronger positive correlation between the CDAI and CVH among individuals with lower socioeconomic status in both cohorts. ConclusionOur findings demonstrated the potential benefit of dietary antioxidant intake in improving CVH. Besides, the relationship between CDAI and CVH may be influenced by income levels, highlighting the need for targeted interventions in populations with low income to increase CVH levels.

Association between cardiovascular health and pelvic inflammatory disease: Analyses of the NHANES 2015 to 2018.

While the link between female reproductive function and cardiovascular health (CVH) is well-established, the association between pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and CVH remains largely unexplored. This study, therefore, sets out to fill this gap in knowledge by investigating the potential relationship between PID and CVH. To ensure the reliability and validity of our findings, data for this cross-sectional study were meticulously collected from the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After applying stringent exclusion criteria, a total of 2442 women were included in the study. The Life Essential 8 (LE8) scoring system, a robust tool developed by the American Heart Association (AHA), was employed to assess the CVH. Logistic regression with multiple variables and smooth curve fitting were utilized to analyze the association. Subgroup and interaction analyses were performed to determine the strength of this association across different demographic groups. The study included 2442 women, with an average CVH score of 66.29 ± 16.27. After accounting for all covariates, each unit increase in CVH score was associated with 2% lower odds of PID prevalence (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99). Notably, participants with high CVH had a striking 71% lower odds of PID prevalence compared to those with low CVH. Stratified analyses further revealed a consistent inverse association between CVH score and PID across various subgroups, underscoring the robustness of our findings. The research has uncovered a significant inverse association between CVH and PID. This suggests that improving the CVH level could be a promising strategy for reducing the odds of PID.

Life’s Essential 8, Genetic Susceptibility, and Incident Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study

BackgroundIdeal cardiovascular health (CVH) has been associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk and mortality, but its association with cardiac arrhythmias was still unsettled. In this prospective cohort study, we investigated the relationship between CVH and subsequent arrhythmias risk, including atrial fibrillation (AF)/flutter, ventricular arrhythmias, and bradyarrhythmias. MethodsData from 287,264 participants initially free of arrhythmias in the UK Biobank were included in the analysis. Cox regression models were used to examine the relationship between CVH levels calculated by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) metrics, with cardiac arrhythmias risk. ResultsDuring a median follow-up period of 12.8 years, 16,802 incident AF, 2186 incident ventricular arrhythmias, and 4128 incident bradyarrhythmias were identified. After adjustment for confounding factors, participants with high initial CVH levels had significantly lower risks for AF (hazard ratio [HR], 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59-0.68), ventricular arrhythmias (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.40-0.59), and bradyarrhythmias (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.55-0.74) compared with those with low CVH levels. Furthermore, each standard deviation (SD) increase in LE8 scores was associated with a 15% lower risk of AF, 21% for ventricular arrhythmias, and 13% for bradyarrhythmias, respectively. In addition, a significant interaction was observed between CVH levels and the genetic risk of AF (P for interaction, 0.021). The reverse correlation seemed to be more noticeable in individuals with a lower genetic susceptibility to AF. ConclusionsWe concluded that higher levels of CVH, estimated by the LE8 metrics, were associated with significantly reduced risks of AF, ventricular arrhythmias, and bradyarrhythmias.

Association between life's essential 8 and testosterone deficiency in US men: findings from national health and nutrition examination survey (NHANES) 2011-2016.

Testosterone deficiency (TD) is closely associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We intended to explore the association of Life's Essential 8 (LE8), the recently updated measurement of cardiovascular health, with the prevalence of TD among US male adults. The population-based cross-sectional study selected male adults aged 20 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011 to 2016. According to the American Heart Association definitions, the LE8 score was measured on a scale of 0-100, and divided into health behavior and health factor scores, simultaneously. Furthermore, these scores were categorized into low (0-49), moderate (50-79), and high (80-100) classifications. TD is defined as a total testosterone level below 300ng/dL. Correlations were investigated by weighted multivariable logistic regression, and the robustness of the results were verified by subgroup analysis. A total of 4971 male adults with an average age of 47.46 ± 0.41 years were eligible for the final analyses, of whom 1372 were determined to have TD. The weighted mean LE8 score of the study population was 68.11 ± 0.41. After fully adjusting potential confounders, higher LE8 scores were significantly associated with low risk of TD (odd ratio [OR] for each 10-point increase, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.71-0.88) in a linear dose-response relationship. Similar patterns were also identified in the association of health factor scores with TD (OR for each 10-point increase, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.66-0.83). These results persisted when LE8 and health factor scores was categorized into low, moderate, and high groups. The inversed association of LE8 classifications and TD remained statistically significant among older, obese, and men without CVD. LE8 and its health factor subscales scores were negatively associated with the presence of TD in linear fashions. Promoting adherence to optimal cardiovascular health levels may be advantageous to alleviate the burden of TD.

The protective role of cardiovascular health against kidney stones: A study based on LE8 score

ObjectivesThe American Heart Association recently released an updated algorithm for evaluating cardiovascular health (CVH)-Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score. Our objective was to investigate the correlation between levels of CVH, as determined by the LE8 score, and the risk of kidney stones among a representative sample of adults in the United States. MethodsWe included data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) covering the years 2007–2016 for further analysis. The LE8 score, a comprehensive measurement ranging from 0 to 100, was used to evaluate overall CVH and classified into three categories: low (0–49), moderate (50–79), and high (80–100) CVH. Logistic regression was employed to assess the association between the LE8 score and kidney stones. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate the findings, and the presence of a non-linear relationship was examined using restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression methods. ResultsA total of 19,988 participants were included in this study (weighted mean age, 47.99 years; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 47.46–48.53 years), with 10,319 being female (weighted percentage, 51.98 %; 95 % CI: 51.26–52.71 %) and 1923 identified as having kidney stones (weighted percentage, 9.95 %; 95 % CI: 9.41–10.53 %). In the fully-adjusted multivariable model, higher LE8 scores were associated with prevalence of self-reported kidney stones (odds ratio [OR] for a 10-unit increase in score, 0.86; 95 % CI: 0.82–0.91), presenting a linear dose-response relationship. Compared to the low CVH group, participants in the moderate and high CVH groups exhibited a lower prevalence of kidney stones (OR = 0.80; 95 % CI: 0.69–0.92; OR = 0.54; 95 % CI: 0.43–0.69, respectively). Similar trends were observed when assessing the association between health behavior scores and kidney stones. Moreover, the negative correlation between the LE8 score and the prevalence of kidney stones was markedly more pronounced in various stratified analyses. ConclusionOur study suggests that a higher level of CVH, as assessed by the LE8 metrics, is independently associated with a lower prevalence of self-reported kidney stones in a linear relationship. Further research, particularly through longitudinal or intervention studies, is required to establish whether actively promoting optimal CVH levels can effectively reduce the incidence of kidney stones.

Sex differences in Life's Essential Eight and its Association with mortality among US adults without known cardiovascular disease

BackgroundThe American Heart Association's (AHA) Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score is a helpful tool to quantify cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. We sought to assess sex differences in relation to LE8 and its components along with association with mortality. MethodsThe National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2009 and 2018 was utilized to evaluate the prevalence of health metrics included in LE8 among adult participants > age 18, stratified by sex. We categorized overall CVH, health factors, and health behaviors into 3 levels (low: <50, moderate: 50 -79, high: ≥80) following the AHA's algorithm. Health metrics were further subdivided into health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep) and health factors (body mass index, non–high density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure). LE8 scores were also evaluated based on age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between the levels of CVH and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with adjustment for age group and race. ResultsAmong 22,761 participants, 52 % were female. Overall CVH score was similar in both females and males (65.8 vs. 65.9). Females had higher health factors score (64.3 vs. 63.1, p < 0.001) and lower health behaviors score (67.2 vs 68.6, p < 0.001). Amongst individual metrics, blood pressure score was higher in females (73.2 vs. 67.7, p < 0.001) while males had higher physical activity score (70.6 vs. 54.9, p < 0.001). For individuals under 65 years of age, overall CVH and health factors scores were higher in females while in those age 65 or older, males had higher scores. The most prominent sex differences were noted in non-Hispanic Black females who had significantly lower CVH scores than Black males (62.6 vs. 74.7, respectively, p < 0.001. High LE8 scores vs. low LE8 scores demonstrated lower all-cause (HR 0.37 vs 0.35) and CV mortality (HR 0.35 vs. 0.36) in both males and females, respectively (p-interaction 0.21 and 0.28). High health behaviors scores also demonstrated a significant association with lower all-cause (0.34 vs. 0.24) and CV mortality (HR 0.47 vs. 0.26) in both males and females, respectively (p-interaction 0.20 and 0.11). ConclusionsWe demonstrate important sex differences in CVH metrics along with notable variations based on age and race/ethnicity. Furthermore, we highlight that CVH metrics including health factors and health behaviors are associated with mortality in both females and males. These findings underscore the importance of designing and implementing effective strategies for both sexes, aimed at targeting these specific factors.

Life's Essential 8 and risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among individuals with type 2 diabetes: A cohort study

BackgroundThe association of cardiovascular health levels, as measured by the Life's Essential 8 score, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) has not been fully elucidated. MethodsThis cohort study included 15,118 participants with T2D from the UK Biobank who were free of CVD and cancer at baseline. The cardiovascular health of participants was evaluated using the Life's Essential 8 score, categorizing their health levels into low, moderate, and high based on this assessment. ResultsDuring a median follow-up period of 13.0 years, we observed a total of 4421 cases of CVD, comprising 3467 cases of coronary heart disease (CHD), 811 cases of stroke, 1465 cases of heart failure (HF), and 523 cases of CVD mortality. Compared to participants with low cardiovascular health, those with high cardiovascular health had a 52 %, 50 %, 47 %, 67 %, and 51 % lower risk of CVD, CHD, stroke, HF, and CVD mortality, respectively. Among the components of the Life's Essential 8 score, body mass index showed the highest population attributable risk of 12.1 %. Similar findings were observed in joint analyses of cardiovascular health and diabetes severity status. ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the importance of maintaining good cardiovascular health among individuals with T2D to reduce their risk of CVD incidence and mortality.

Reproductive factors and cardiovascular health in post-menopausal women: a special focus on natural menopause

ABSTRACT Female-specific reproductive factors might contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and the American Heart Association (AHA) recently proposed Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score to quantify cardiovascular health (CVH). The study aimed to examine the relationships between reproductive factors and the LE8 score among post-menopause women in the United States. We enrolled 3223 post-menopause women from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). CVH groups based on LE8 score were low (0–49), moderate (50–79), and high good CVH levels (80–100). Multivariate ordinal logistic regressions were applied to estimate the associations between reproductive factors and the LE8 score. In multivariate model, early menarche (OR: 0.69, 95 percent CI: 0.51–0.93) and early menopause (OR: 0.57, 95 percent CI: 0.43–0.77) were associated with LE8 score compared with normal menarche and menopause; Meanwhile, ages at menarche and menopause were positively correlated with LE8 score. The number of pregnancies and full-term pregnancies were negatively associated with LE8 (OR for per pregnancy increase and 95 percent CI, 0.93 (0.88, 0.98), 0.93 (0.87, 0.99), separately). Overall, natural menopausal women with early age at menarche and menopause, and a higher number of pregnancies may have a high risk of lower CVH, and need to focus on their CVH.

Association of Cardiovascular Health with the Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism: A Prospective Study of 275,149 Participants from the UK Biobank.

The Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score, recently proposed by the American Heart Association, represents a new paradigm for evaluating cardiovascular health (CVH). We aimed to explore the association between CVH, estimated using LE8, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence. A total of 275,149 participants were recruited from the UK Biobank and divided into high (LE8 score ≥ 80), moderate (LE8 score < 80 but ≥ 50), and low (LE8 score < 50) CVH groups. Restricted cubic spline analysis, the Kaplan-Meier method, and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to explore the association between CVH and VTE. The genetic predisposition to VTE was assessed with a polygenic risk score. Sensitivity analyses were performed to validate the results. During a median follow-up of 12.56 years, VTE developed in 506 (4.09%), 6,069 (2.78%), and 720 (1.66%) participants with low, moderate, and high CVH levels, respectively. Compared with the low CVH group, participants in the moderate and high CVH groups had a 23% (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.71-0.85) and 41% (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.52-0.66) lower risk of VTE, respectively, after adjusting for demographic characteristics, medical history, socioeconomic status, and genetic predisposition. This association remained robust in multiple sensitivity analyses. Higher CVH levels led to a more pronounced reduction in the risk of VTE in females and could appreciably offset the genetic risk of VTE. Higher CVH levels were significantly associated with a lower incidence of VTE, encouraging efforts to increase LE8 scores in individuals.

Cardiovascular Health and Colorectal Cancer Screening in Black Men: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

African American/Black (henceforth Black) men face disproportionate risks of morbidity and mortality from both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) tool was designed to examine predictors of CVD with included behaviors also linked to CRC risk (i.e., smoking status, weight, diet, and physical activity). However, no studies have combined LS7 assessment alongside CRC screening history, which serves as a proxy for assessing CRC risk, in Black men. In this study, Black men aged 45-75 participating in annual community wellness events were screened for 6 of 7 LS7 measures (excluding diet, LS6) and self-reported CRC screening. Analyses conducted using R 4.0.5. revealed that Black men (N = 680), with an average age of 57.3 years (SD = 7.5), reported poor (39.7%), intermediate (34.6%), or ideal (25.7%) LS6 scores with higher scores corresponding to lower risk for CVD. However, for every 1-point increase in LS6 scores (0-6), there was a 26% lower odds of reported CRC screening (p = .001). In the fully adjusted model, men with 4+ ideal LS6 behaviors had a 60% lower odds of self-reported CRC screening compared to those with two ideal LS6 behaviors (p < .001). These findings underscore the need for culturally relevant interventions for Black men across all levels of cardiovascular health (CVH) to increase CRC screening uptake.

A CASE STUDY OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO COACHING PROFESSIONAL AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL

INTRODUCTION &amp; AIMS Coaching professional sport is stressful, yet there is little information detailing the physiological and psychological responses of coaches during match-play. The burden of measurement instruments during competition may preclude their use with coaches during this high-pressure part of the coaching cycle. This exploratory case study examined physiological and psychological alterations when coaching professional Australian football to determine the potential health implications and enhance health literacy in coaches. METHODS One head coach of a professional football team was monitored for heart rate (HR), stress-related hormones (C-Reactive Protein, Cortisol, Troponin, Brain Natriuretic Peptide) and psychological stress prior to, during and following seven matches and descriptive data was examined. RESULTS The HR response indicated sustained elevation during match-play, with the intermittent nature of the game causing an undulating profile. Periods of locomotion during breaks in play led to elevations in HR, with maximum HR recorded as 8% above age-predicted maximum. Further, differences in HR were evident in the final five minutes between small (145 ± 7.0 bpm) and large (113 ± 5.1 bpm) score margins. There were no irregularities for stress hormones, while the psychological questionnaire revealed differences in perceptions of accomplishment, success, recovery and stress related to match outcome. CONCLUSIONS This exploratory case study indicated that substantial elevations in HR are evident while coaching professional football, yielding implications for health management. Coaches require appropriate levels of cardiovascular health to cope with the demands of coaching and targeted health intervention programs may be warranted. Further, differences in psychological outcomes from winning or losing may reflect the need to develop recovery and coping strategies that are contextualised to match results. Since match-play observation elicits alterations to physical and psychological markers, confirmatory research with larger cohorts is warranted to examine and enhance well-being and health management strategies in these elite performers.

Sleep Patterns and Traditional Cardiovascular Health Metrics: Joint Impact on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in a Prospective Cohort Study.

This study examines the association between traditional cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) incidence in individuals with diverse sleep patterns. We analyzed data from 208 621 participants initially free of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the UK Biobank study. Sleep patterns were assessed using scores for chronotype, duration, insomnia, snoring, and daytime dozing. Traditional CVH scores were derived from the Life's Simple 7 metrics. Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression assessed associations between distinct combinations of CVH and sleep scores and MACE, including nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and CVD mortality. Over a mean follow-up of 12.73 years, 9253 participants experienced incident MACE. Individuals with both a healthy sleep pattern and ideal CVH levels had the lowest MACE risk compared with those with a poor sleep pattern and poor CVH levels (hazard ratio, 0.306 [95% CI, 0.257-0.365]; P<0.001). Elevated CVH scores were associated with a reduced risk of MACE across different sleep patterns. Similar trends were observed for individual MACE components, heart failure, and all-cause mortality. These findings remained robust in sensitivity analyses and across various subgroups. In individuals without known CVD, maintaining a favorable sleep pattern and achieving optimal CVH levels, as measured by traditional metrics, were associated with the lowest MACE risk. Enhanced CVH significantly reduced CVD risk, even in individuals with a poor sleep pattern. These results emphasize the importance of considering multiple dimensions of sleep health alongside CVH to mitigate CVD risk. URL: https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk; Unique identifier: 91090.

Association between kidney stones and life's essential 8: a population-based study

BackgroundKidney stones exhibit a robust correlation with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The objective of this research is to investigate the correlation between kidney stones and Life's Essential 8 (LE8), a newly updated assessment of cardiovascular health (CVH), among adults in the United States.MethodsIn this study, which analyzed data from the 2007–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we employed LE8 scores (ranging from 0 to 100) as the independent variable, classifying them into low, moderate, and high CVH categories. The research examined the relationship between LE8 scores and kidney stones by using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic spline models, with kidney stones as the dependent variable.ResultsOut of the 14,117 participants in this research, the weighted mean LE8 score was 69.70 ± 0.27. After accounting for confounding factors, there was an inverse association between higher LE8 scores and the likelihood of developing kidney stones (OR of 0.81 per 10-point increase, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.77–0.85), demonstrating a non-linear dose–response pattern. Similar patterns were observed for health behaviors, health factor scores, and kidney stones. Stratified analyses demonstrated a stable negative correlation between LE8 scores and kidney stones across different subgroups.ConclusionLE8 and its subscale scores exhibited a robust and inverse correlation with the occurrence of kidney stones. Encouraging adherence to optimal CVH levels has the potential to serve as an effective strategy in preventing and minimizing the occurrence of kidney stones.

Association Between `Life's Essential 8’ and Periodontitis: A Cross-Sectional Study From the NHANES Database

BackgroundPeriodontitis as a chronic inflammatory disease, and its persistent inflammatory state can lead to the cardiovascular system damage. Studies have shown that life's essential 8 (LE8), as an indicator of cardiovascular health, was associated with the risk of several inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to assess the association between LE8 and its subscales and the risk of periodontitis. MethodsData of participants who accepted the periodontitis examinations were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) database (2009-2014). LE8 contains four health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health) and four health factors (BMI, blood lipids, blood glucose and blood pressure) and was categorized into low (0-49), moderate (50-79), and high (80-100) level. Covariates included demographic information, laboratory values, diseases history and medications history. The weighted univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to assess the association between LE8 and periodontitis, with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses based on different age, gender and cardiovascular disease (CVD) history were further assessed the association. ResultsTotal 5,106 adults were included, of whom 2,606 (51.04%) had periodontitis. After adjustment for age, gender, race, PIR, education level, marital status, drinking, CVD, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, waist circumference (WC), vitamin D (VD) and dental floss/device, high LE8 score (OR=0.48, 95%CI: 0.32-0.73), higher health behaviors score (OR=0.56, 95%CI: 0.42-0.73) and higher health factors score (OR=0.71, 95%CI: 0.51-0.99) were associated with the lower occurrence of periodontitis, especially in adults with male, aged <60 years and without CVD history. Moreover, the occurrence of periodontitis was decreased when score of total LE8, health factors and health behaviors increased every 10 scores. ConclusionLE8 score and its subscales scores were associated with the lower odds of periodontitis. Promoting adherence to high cardiovascular health levels may be beneficial to reduce the burden of periodontitis.