Using Artificial Intelligence to Predict Heart Failure Risk from Single-lead Electrocardiographic Signals: A Multinational Assessment.

Importance: Despite the availability of disease-modifying therapies, scalable strategies for heart failure (HF) risk stratification remain elusive. Portable devices capable of recording single-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) can enable large-scale community-based risk assessment. Objective: To evaluate an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to predict HF risk from noisy single-lead ECGs. Design: Multicohort study. Setting: Retrospective cohort of individuals with outpatient ECGs in the integrated Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) and prospective population-based cohorts of UK Biobank (UKB) and Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Participants: Individuals without HF at baseline. Exposures: AI-ECG-defined risk of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD). Main Outcomes and Measures: Among individuals with ECGs, we isolated lead I ECGs and deployed a noise-adapted AI-ECG model trained to identify LVSD. We evaluated the association of the model probability with new-onset HF, defined as the first HF hospitalization. We compared the discrimination of AI-ECG against the pooled cohort equations to prevent HF (PCP-HF) score for new-onset HF using Harrel's C-statistic, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Results: There were 194,340 YNHHS patients (age 56 years [IQR, 41-69], 112,082 women [58%]), 42,741 UKB participants (65 years [59-71], 21,795 women [52%]), and 13,454 ELSA-Brasil participants (56 years [41-69], 7,348 women [55%]) with baseline ECGs. A total of 3,929 developed HF in YNHHS over 4.5 years (2.6-6.6), 46 in UKB over 3.1 years (2.1-4.5), and 31 in ELSA-Brasil over 4.2 years (3.7-4.5). A positive AI-ECG screen was associated with a 3- to 7-fold higher risk for HF, and each 0.1 increment in the model probability portended a 27-65% higher hazard across cohorts, independent of age, sex, comorbidities, and competing risk of death. AI-ECG's discrimination for new-onset HF was 0.725 in YNHHS, 0.792 in UKB, and 0.833 in ELSA-Brasil. Across cohorts, incorporating AI-ECG predictions in addition to PCP-HF resulted in improved Harrel's C-statistic (Δ=0.112-0.114), with an IDI of 0.078-0.238 and an NRI of 20.1%-48.8% for AI-ECG vs. PCP-HF. Conclusions and Relevance: Across multinational cohorts, a noise-adapted AI model with lead I ECGs as the sole input defined HF risk, representing a scalable portable and wearable device-based HF risk-stratification strategy. KEY POINTS: Question: Can single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) tracings predict heart failure (HF) risk?Findings: We evaluated a noise-adapted artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm for single-lead ECGs as the sole input across multinational cohorts, spanning a diverse integrated US health system and large community-based cohorts in the UK and Brazil. A positive AI-ECG screen was associated with a 3- to 7-fold higher HF risk, independent of age, sex, and comorbidities. The AI model achieved incremental discrimination and improved reclassification for HF over the pooled cohort equations to prevent HF (PCP-HF).Meaning: A noise-adapted AI model for single-lead ECG predicted the risk of new-onset HF, representing a scalable HF risk-stratification strategy for portable and wearable devices.

Association between leisure-time physical activity and arterial stiffness in adults of the ELSA-Brasil study: a mediation analysis.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed at defining the direct and the mediated pathways for the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV), and also to identify whether these effects are influenced by sex and age. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 13 718 adults (35-74 years) were obtained at the baseline of the ELSA-Brasil study. The cf-PWV was obtained by measuring the pulse transit time and the distance traveled by the pulse between the carotid and the femoral, as well as clinical and anthropometric parameters were measured. The levels of LTPA were determined by applying the long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). RESULTS: Classical cardiovascular risk factors were independently associated with cf-PWV. Path analysis showed that increased levels of LTPA were directly associated with lower cf-PWV in both men and women (ß: -0.123 ±â€Š0.03 vs. 0.065 ±â€Š0.029, P for sex = 0.165), except for diabetes. Also, the mediated effect of LTPA on SBP and DBPs, heart rate, BMI, and fasting glucose, was associated with lower cf-PWV in men and women (ß: -0.113 ±â€Š0.016 vs. -0.104 ±â€Š0.016, P for sex = 0.692), except for diabetes. When age was tested as a moderator, the direct effect did not change significantly according to participants' age, regardless of sex. However, the mediated effect increases in both men and women over 50 years. CONCLUSION: Our findings support that LTPA in adults reduces cf-PWV by acting in different ways according to age. Physical activity in older individuals improves cardiometabolic risk factors and thus mitigates the stiffening of large arteries.

Performance of contemporary cardiovascular risk stratification scores in Brazil: an evaluation in the ELSA-Brasil study.

AIMS: Despite notable population differences in high-income and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), national guidelines in LMICs often recommend using US-based cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk scores for treatment decisions. We examined the performance of widely used international CVD risk scores within the largest Brazilian community-based cohort study (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health, ELSA-Brasil). METHODS: All adults 40-75 years from ELSA-Brasil (2008-2013) without prior CVD who were followed for incident, adjudicated CVD events (fatal and non-fatal MI, stroke, or coronary heart disease death). We evaluated 5 scores-Framingham General Risk (FGR), Pooled Cohort Equations (PCEs), WHO CVD score, Globorisk-LAC and the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation 2 score (SCORE-2). We assessed their discrimination using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and calibration with predicted-to-observed risk (P/O) ratios-overall and by sex/race groups. RESULTS: There were 12 155 individuals (53.0±8.2 years, 55.3% female) who suffered 149 incident CVD events. All scores had a model AUC>0.7 overall and for most age/sex groups, except for white women, where AUC was <0.6 for all scores, with higher overestimation in this subgroup. All risk scores overestimated CVD risk with 32%-170% overestimation across scores. PCE and FGR had the highest overestimation (P/O ratio: 2.74 (95% CI 2.42 to 3.06)) and 2.61 (95% CI 1.79 to 3.43)) and the recalibrated WHO score had the best calibration (P/O ratio: 1.32 (95% CI 1.12 to 1.48)). CONCLUSION: In a large prospective cohort from Brazil, we found that widely accepted CVD risk scores overestimate risk by over twofold, and have poor risk discrimination particularly among Brazilian women. Our work highlights the value of risk stratification strategies tailored to the unique populations and risks of LMICs.

Clinical biomarker-based biological age predicts deaths in Brazilian adults: the ELSA-Brasil study.

Biological age is a construct that seeks to evaluate the biological wear and tear process of the organism that cannot be observed by chronological age. We estimate individuals' biological age based on biomarkers from multiple systems and validate it through its association with mortality from natural causes. Biological age was estimated in 12,109 participants (6621 women and 5488 men) from the first visit of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) who had valid data for the biomarkers used in the analyses. Biological age was estimated using the Klemera and Doubal method. The difference between chronological age and biological age (Δage) was computed. Cox proportional hazard models stratified by sex were used to assess whether Δage was associated with mortality risk after a median follow-up of 9.1 years. The accuracy of the models was estimated by the area under the curve (AUC). Δage had equal mean for men and women, with greater variability for men. Cox models showed that every 1-year increase in Δage was associated with increased mortality in men (HR (95% CI) 1.21; 1.17-1.25) and women (HR (95% CI) 1.24; 1.15-1.34), independently of chronological age. Results of the AUC demonstrated that the predictive power of models that only included chronological age (AUC chronological age = 0.7396) or Δage (AUC Δage = 0.6842) was lower than those that included both, chronological age and Δage (AUC chronological age + Δage = 0.802), in men. This difference was not observed in women. We demonstrate that biological age is strongly related to mortality in both genders and is a valid predictor of death in Brazilian adults, especially among men.

Job stress and chronic low back pain: incidence, number of episodes, and severity in a 4-year follow-up of the ELSA-Brasil Musculoskeletal cohort.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the association between job stress, as assessed by the effort-reward imbalance model, and the incidence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) over a 4-year period. A total of 1733 participants from the ELSA-Brasil Musculoskeletal cohort, who were free from LBP at baseline (2012-2014), were included. Episodes of LBP in the past 30 days, intensity, and the presence of disability were investigated in annual telephone follow-ups (2015-2018). Chronic LBP was defined as episodes of LBP lasting >3 months with at least moderate intensity. We analyzed the incidence of at least one episode of CLBP (yes/no), the number of CLBP episodes (0, 1, ≥2), and CLBP severity/disability (absent, nondisabling, severe/disabling). The association between these outcomes and tertiles of the effort-to-reward ratio, as well as each dimension of the effort-reward imbalance model, was investigated using multinomial logistic and Poisson regression models adjusting for sociodemographic and occupational variables. The cumulative incidence of CLBP over 4 years was 24.8%. High effort-reward imbalance increased the chances of experiencing multiple CLBP episodes and severe/disabling CLBP by 67% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-2.47) and 70% (95% CI: 1.14-2.53), respectively. High overcommitment increased the incidence of CLBP by 23% (95% CI: 1.01-1.50) and the chances of multiple CLBP episodes and severe/disabling CLBP by 67% (95% CI: 1.11-2.50) and 57% (95% CI: 1.05-2.34), respectively. These results indicate that exposure to job stress is associated with a higher incidence, a greater number of episodes, and increased severity of CLBP over a 4-year period. If this association is causal, measures aimed at reducing exposure to job stress are likely to alleviate the burden of CLBP.

Salt Intake in Adults with Diabetes and Hypertension: The Longitudinal Study of Adult Health-Brasil Study.

Background and Objective: Hypertension and type-2 diabetes are strong risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and their management requires lifestyle changes, including a shift in dietary habits. The consumption of salt has increased in the last decades in some countries, but its association with type-2 diabetes remains unknown. Thus, we aimed to estimate the amount of salt intake among adults with and without diabetes and to assess whether concomitant hypertension and diabetes are associated with higher salt intake. Methods: Data from 11,982 adults 35-74 years of age enrolled in the baseline of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health-Brasil study (2008-2010) were studied. A clinical and anthropometric evaluation was performed, and their daily salt intake was estimated by the overnight 12-hr urine sodium excretion. Results: Salt intake (gram per day) was higher in participants with diabetes as compared with those without diabetes, regardless of sex (men: 14.2 ± 6.4 vs. 12.4 ± 5.6, P < 0.05; women: 10.5 ± 4.8 vs. 9.1 ± 4.1, P < 0.05). However, salt intake is high in participants with fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL or HbA1c ≥6.5%, but not in participants with blood glucose 2 hr after the glucose tolerance test ≥200 mg/dL. When hypertension and diabetes coexisted, salt consumption was higher than among people without these conditions. The prevalence of hypertension increased with increasing salt intake in women with diabetes, but not in men with this condition. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the high consumption of salt in individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension, and the need for effective strategies to reduce salt consumption in these groups of increased risk for major cardiovascular events, especially in women.

Scalable Risk Stratification for Heart Failure Using Artificial Intelligence applied to 12-lead Electrocardiographic Images: A Multinational Study.

Background: Current risk stratification strategies for heart failure (HF) risk require either specific blood-based biomarkers or comprehensive clinical evaluation. In this study, we evaluated the use of artificial intelligence (AI) applied to images of electrocardiograms (ECGs) to predict HF risk. Methods: Across multinational longitudinal cohorts in the integrated Yale New Haven Health System (YNHHS) and in population-based UK Biobank (UKB) and Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), we identified individuals without HF at baseline. Incident HF was defined based on the first occurrence of an HF hospitalization. We evaluated an AI-ECG model that defines the cross-sectional probability of left ventricular dysfunction from a single image of a 12-lead ECG and its association with incident HF. We accounted for the competing risk of death using the Fine-Gray subdistribution model and evaluated the discrimination using Harrel's c-statistic. The pooled cohort equations to prevent HF (PCP-HF) were used as a comparator for estimating incident HF risk. Results: Among 231,285 individuals at YNHHS, 4472 had a primary HF hospitalization over 4.5 years (IQR 2.5-6.6) of follow-up. In UKB and ELSA-Brasil, among 42,741 and 13,454 people, 46 and 31 developed HF over a follow-up of 3.1 (2.1-4.5) and 4.2 (3.7-4.5) years, respectively. A positive AI-ECG screen portended a 4-fold higher risk of incident HF among YNHHS patients (age-, sex-adjusted HR [aHR] 3.88 [95% CI, 3.63-4.14]). In UKB and ELSA-Brasil, a positive-screen ECG portended 13- and 24-fold higher hazard of incident HF, respectively (aHR: UKBB, 12.85 [6.87-24.02]; ELSA-Brasil, 23.50 [11.09-49.81]). The association was consistent after accounting for comorbidities and the competing risk of death. Higher model output probabilities were progressively associated with a higher risk for HF. The model's discrimination for incident HF was 0.718 in YNHHS, 0.769 in UKB, and 0.810 in ELSA-Brasil. Across cohorts, incorporating model probability with PCP-HF yielded a significant improvement in discrimination over PCP-HF alone. Conclusions: An AI model applied to images of 12-lead ECGs can identify those at elevated risk of HF across multinational cohorts. As a digital biomarker of HF risk that requires just an ECG image, this AI-ECG approach can enable scalable and efficient screening for HF risk.

Higher Arterial Stiffness Predicts Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults: The ELSA-Brasil Cohort Study. / Maior Rigidez Arterial Prediz Doença Renal Crônica no Estudo de Coorte ELSA-Brasil.

BACKGROUND: Central Illustration : Higher Arterial Stiffness Predicts Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults: The ELSA-Brasil Cohort Study. BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffening can directly affect the kidneys, which are passively perfused by a high flow. However, whether the relation between arterial stiffness and renal function depends on diabetes and hypertension conditions, is a matter of debate. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffening by carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) incidence in individuals and verify whether this association is present in individuals without hypertension and diabetes. METHODS: A longitudinal study of 11,647 participants of the ELSA-Brasil followed up for four years (2008/10-2012/14). Baseline cfPWV was grouped per quartile, according to sex-specific cut-offs. Presence of CKD was ascertained by glomerular filtration rate (eGFR-CKD-EPI) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and/or albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g. Logistic regression models were run for the whole cohort and a subsample free from hypertension and diabetes at baseline, after adjustment for age, sex, race, schooling, smoking, cholesterol/HDL ratio, body mass index, diabetes, use of antihypertensive, systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiovascular disease. Statistical significance was set at 5%. RESULTS: The chance of CKD was 42% (CI 95%: 1.05;1.92) greater among individuals in the upper quartile of cfPWV. Among normotensive, non-diabetic participants, individuals in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th quartiles of cfPWV presented greater chances of developing CKD, as compared to those in the lower quartile, and the magnitude of this association was the greatest for those in the upper quartile (OR: 1.81 CI 95%: 1.14;2.86). CONCLUSION: Higher cfPWV increased the chances of CKD and suggests that this effect is even greater in individuals without diabetes and hypertension.

Dynapenia and sarcopenia: association with the diagnosis, duration and complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus in ELSA-Brasil.

Sarcopenia (the loss of muscle mass, strength and skeletal muscle function) increases mortality and the risk of hospitalization in the older population. Although it is known that older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have a higher risk of dynapenia and sarcopenia, few studies have investigated these conditions in middle-aged populations. The objective of this study was to investigate whether T2DM, its duration, the presence of albuminuria, and glycemic control are associated with sarcopenia and its components in adults. The cross-sectional analysis was based on data from visit 2 of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (2012-2014). The 2018 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria were used to define dynapenia, low appendicular muscle mass (LAMM), and sarcopenia (absent/probable/confirmed). The explanatory variables were: T2DM; duration of T2DM; T2DM according to the presence of albuminuria; and glycemic control (HbA1C < 7%) among people with T2DM. A total of 12,132 participants (mean age = 55.5, SD: 8.9 years) were included. The odds ratio for LAMM was greater among those with T2DM, T2DM duration from 5 to 10 years, and T2DM without albuminuria. Chances of dynapenia were higher among those with T2DM, T2DM duration > 10 years, and T2DM with and without albuminuria. The variables T2DM, T2DM ≥ 10 years, and T2DM with albuminuria increased the odds of probable sarcopenia, and T2DM duration from 5 to 10 years increased the odds of confirmed sarcopenia. The results support the importance of frequently monitoring the musculoskeletal mass and strength of individuals with T2DM to prevent sarcopenia and related outcomes.

Sleep duration, insomnia and cognitive performance in the Elsa-Brasil cohort: a cross-sectional analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the single and combined associations between sleep disturbances (sleep duration, insomnia symptoms in the last 30 nights, and daytime tiredness) and performance in cognitive tests. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of data from visit 2 (2012-2014) of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health from a cohort of active and retired civil servants from six Brazilian capitals. Polynomial regression with quadratic term and multiple linear regression models were performed to assess single and combined associations between sleep disturbances and memory performance, fluency, executive functions, and global cognition. RESULTS: A total of 7,248 participants were included, with a mean age of 62.7 years (standard deviation [SD]=5.9), and 55.2% were women. Inverted U-shaped associations were observed between sleep duration and performance on all cognitive abilities, suggesting that durations shorter or longer than seven hours are associated with worse performance, regardless of age. Reported insomnia was associated with worse executive function (ß: -0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.15 to -0.01), and the magnitudes of associations were higher for individuals with insomnia at two or more moments (ß: -0.12; 95%CI -0.19 to -0.05) or, especially, insomnia combined with short sleep (ß: -0.18; 95%CI -0.24 to -0.11). Insomnia in two or more periods was also associated with lower memory and global cognition. There was no association between any sleep disturbance tested and verbal fluency. Isolated daytime tiredness was not associated with performance in the evaluated tests. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that extreme sleep durations are detrimental to almost all cognitive abilities investigated, whereas insomnia appears to affect more severely the executive function.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity May Attenuate the Impact of Diabetes on Cognitive Decline in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Findings From the ELSA-Brasil Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) as a modifier of the diabetes/cognitive decline association in middle-aged and older participants in the Estudo Longitudinal de Saude do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil) study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: ELSA-Brasil is a cohort of 15,105 participants (age 35-74 years) enrolled between 2008 and 2010. We evaluated global cognitive function, summing the scores of six standardized tests evaluating memory and verbal fluency, including the Trail-Making Test, at baseline and follow-up. Incident cognitive impairment was defined as a global cognitive function score at follow-up lower than -1 SD from baseline mean. Participants reporting ≥150 min/week of moderate to vigorous LTPA at baseline were classified as physically active. We assessed the association of LTPA with global cognition change in those with diabetes in the context of our overall sample through multivariable regression models. RESULTS: Participants' (N = 12,214) mean age at baseline was 51.4 (SD 8.8) years, and 55.5% were women. During a mean follow-up of 8.1 (SD 0.6) years, 9,345 (76.5%) inactive participants and 1,731 (14.1%) participants with diabetes at baseline experienced faster declines in global cognition than those who were active (ß = -0.003, -0.004, and -0.002) and those without diabetes (ß = -0.004, -0.005, and -0.003), respectively. Diabetes increased the risk of cognitive impairment (hazard ratio [HR] 1.71; 95% Cl 1.22, 2.39) in inactive but not in active adults (HR 1.18; 95% CI 0.73, 1.90). Among participants with diabetes, those who were active showed a delay of 2.73 (95% CI 0.94, 4.51) years in the onset of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: In adults living with diabetes, LTPA attenuated the deleterious association between diabetes and cognitive function.

Life satisfaction and ideal cardiovascular health score: A cross-sectional study from ELSA-Brasil.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether higher levels of life satisfaction are associated with a higher ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) score in middle-aged and older populations in the Brazilian context. METHOD: Cross-sectional analysis of 12,936 participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health, Visit 2 (2012-2014), aged 38-79 years. The response variables were the global, lifestyle, and biological ideal CVH scores, as defined by the American Heart Association Life's Simple 7. The scores were categorized as low, intermediate, and optimal. Life satisfaction was measured by the Satisfaction with the Life Scale. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the magnitude with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Low scores were the categories of reference for the analyses. RESULTS: Only 10.5% of the participants had an optimal (≥5) global ideal CVH score. After total adjustment, 1 SD increment in the life satisfaction score was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI: 1.01-1.09]) and 1.15 (95% CI [1.07-1.23]) for intermediate and optimal global ideal CVH scores, respectively. Regarding the lifestyle ideal CVH score, the increment of 1 SD in the life satisfaction scale determined an OR of 1.11 (95% CI [1.06-1.15]) and 1.22 (95% CI [1.14-1.31]) for intermediate and optimal lifestyle ideal CVH score, respectively. Life satisfaction was not associated with the biological ideal CVH score. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the higher the life satisfaction, the higher the CVH. The findings add to the knowledge of assets to promote CVH. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Optimal cardiovascular health is associated with slower cognitive decline.

BACKGROUND: Life's Simple 7, a lifestyle and cardiovascular index associated with cognition, has been updated to Life's Essential 8 (LE8) to include sleep. LE8 has been related to cardiovascular outcomes but its association with cognition is unclear. METHODS: In this longitudinal analysis of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), LE8 score was based on health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep health) as well as health-related factors (body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose, and blood pressure). Cognition was assessed in three waves, 4 years apart, using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease - Word List, semantic and phonemic verbal fluency, the Trail-Making Test B (TMT-B), and a global composite score. We used linear mixed-model analysis, inverse probability weighting, and interaction analysis. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean age of the study cohort was 51.4 ± 8.9 years, 56% were women, and 53% were White. Higher baseline LE8 scores were associated with slower decline in global cognition (ß = 0.001, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.001, 0.002; p < 0.001), memory (ß = 0.001, 95% CI 0.000, 0.002; p = 0.013), verbal fluency (ß = 0.001, 95% CI 0.000, 0.002; p = 0.003), and TMT-B (ß = 0.004, 95% CI 0.003, 0.005; p < 0.001). This association was mainly driven by LE8 health factors, particularly blood glucose and blood pressure. Age, sex, and race were modifiers of the association between LE8 and global cognitive decline (p < 0.001), suggesting it was more pronounced in older, male, and Black participants. CONCLUSIONS: Higher baseline LE8 scores were associated with slower global and domain-specific cognitive decline during 8 years of follow-up, mainly due to health factors such as blood glucose and blood pressure. Sociodemographic factors were modifiers of this association.

Obesity and the risk of multiple or severe frequent knee pain episodes: a 4-year follow-up of the ELSA-Brasil MSK cohort.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Knee pain is an important health problem due to its high prevalence, negative impact on daily activities and quality of life, and societal burden. While the link between excess weight and knee pain has been well-documented in the literature, many studies are limited to patients with osteoarthritis or use cross-sectional data. This longitudinal study investigated whether overweight and obesity were associated with the frequency and severity of frequent knee pain (FKP) episodes over 4 years in civil servants enrolled in the ELSA-Brasil MSK cohort. METHODS: Knee pain was assessed during baseline face-to-face interviews (2012-2014) and four yearly telephone follow-ups (2015-2019). Disabling FKP episodes or those of moderate to very severe intensity were classified as severe. Multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for confounders were used to test for associations in two participant groups: those with knee pain at baseline (prognosis cohort) and those without knee pain (incidence cohort). RESULTS: A total of 2644 participants were included: 54.2% female, mean age 55.8 (SD 8.8) years. In the incidence cohort (n = 1896), obesity increased the risk of one (OR: 1.63; 95% CI 1.13-2.37) and multiple FKP episodes (OR: 2.61; 95% CI 1.71-3.97), as well as the risk of non-severe (OR: 1.72; 95% CI 1.04-2.84) and severe FKP episodes (OR: 2.10; 95% CI 1.50-2.95). In the prognosis cohort (n = 748), obesity increased the risk of multiple (OR: 2.54; 95% CI 1.60-4.05) and severe FKP episodes (OR: 2.31; 95% CI 1.49-3.59). Overweight presented the same trends but fell short of significance. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide further support that overweight and obesity are important contributors to the incidence and worsening of FKP, and that weight management must be prioritized in multidisciplinary knee pain prevention and treatment programs to reduce the burden of musculoskeletal disorders.

Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and Serum Urate Concentrations: A Longitudinal Analysis from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

BACKGROUND: Increased serum urate (SU) and hyperuricemia (HU) are associated with chronic noncommunicable diseases and mortality. SU concentrations are affected by several factors, including diet, and are expected to rise with age. We investigated whether the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet alter this trend. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess whether adherence to the DASH diet predicts a longitudinal change in SU concentrations and risk of HU in 8 y of follow-up. METHODS: Longitudinal analyses using baseline (2008-2010, aged 35-74 y), second (2012-2014), and third (2016-2018) visits data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). The inclusion criteria were having complete food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and urinary sodium measurement, in addition to having SU measurement at the 1st visit and at least 1 of the 2 follow-up visits. For the HU incidence analyses, participants had also to be free from HU at baseline. The final samples included 12575 individuals for the SU change analyses and 10549 for the HU incidence analyses. Adherence to DASH diet was assessed as continuous value. HU was defined as SU>6.8 mg/dL and/or urate-lowering therapy use. Mixed-effect linear and Poisson regressions (incidence rate ratio [IRR] and 95% confidence interval [CI]) were used in the analyses, adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: The mean age was 51.4 (8.7) y, and 55.4% were females. SU means (standard deviation) were 5.4 (1.4) at 1st visit, 5.2 (1.4) at 2nd visit, and 5.1(1.3) mg/dL at 3rd visit. The HU incidence rate was 8.87 per 1000 person-y. Each additional point in adherence to the DASH diet accelerated SU decline (P< 0.01) and lowered the incidence of HU by 4.3% (IRR: 0.957; 95% CI: 0.938,0.977) in adjusted model. CONCLUSION: The present study findings reinforce the importance of encouraging the DASH diet as a healthy dietary pattern to control and reduce the SU concentrations and risk of HU.

Racial Inequities in the Control of Hypertension and the Explanatory Role of Residential Segregation: a Decomposition Analysis in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

The mechanisms underlying racial inequities in uncontrolled hypertension have been limited to individual factors. We investigated racial inequities in uncontrolled hypertension and the explanatory role of economic segregation in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). All 3897 baseline participants with hypertension (2008-2010) were included. Uncontrolled hypertension (SBP ≥ 140 mmHg or DBP ≥ 90 mmHg), self-reported race (White/Brown/Black people), and neighborhood economic segregation (low/medium/high) were analyzed cross-sectionally. We used decomposition analysis, which describes how much a disparity would change (disparity reduction; explained portion) and remain (disparity residual; unexplained portion) upon removing racial differences in economic segregation (i.e., if Black people had the distribution of segregation of White people, how much we would expect uncontrolled hypertension to decrease among Black people). Age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of uncontrolled hypertension (39.0%, 52.6%, and 54.2% for White, Brown, and Black participants, respectively) remained higher for Black and Brown vs White participants, regardless of economic segregation. Uncontrolled hypertension showed a dose-response pattern with increasing segregation levels for White but not for Black and Brown participants. After adjusting for age, gender, education, and study center, unexplained portion (disparity residual) of race on uncontrolled hypertension was 18.2% (95% CI 13.4%; 22.9%) for Black vs White participants and 12.6% (8.2%; 17.1%) for Brown vs White participants. However, explained portion (disparity reduction) through economic segregation was - 2.1% (- 5.1%; 1.3%) for Black vs White and 0.5% (- 1.7%; 2.8%) for Brown vs White participants. Although uncontrolled hypertension was greater for Black and Brown vs White people, racial inequities in uncontrolled hypertension were not explained by economic segregation.

Thrombin generation and all-cause mortality in The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

INTRODUCTION: Thrombin generation assay (TGA) is a laboratory method that provides the global evaluation of hemostasis. The association between thrombin generation and all-cause mortality is poorly investigated and results are contradictory. This study evaluated whether TGA parameters are associated with all-cause mortality in a prospective cohort. METHODS: This study was conducted in 2,588 participants enrolled at baseline of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). TGA was performed using the Calibrated Automated Thrombogram (CAT) method, and its parameters lagtime, time-to-peak, peak, Endogenous Thrombin Potential (ETP) and normalized ETP (nETP) were evaluated according to the reference interval (RI). The association between TGA parameters and all-cause mortality was estimated by Cox regression and adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 6.6 ± 2.7 years and 85 deaths occurred. After adjustment, time-to-peak values above the RI at low and high tissue factor (TF) concentrations were associated with higher risk of death [HR = 2.45 (95 % CI: 1.17-5.13) and HR = 2.24 (95 % CI: 1.02-4.93), respectively] and nETP and peak values below RI at high TF concentration were associated with higher risk of death [HR = 3.85 (95 % CI: 1.39-10.68) and HR = 2.56 (95 % CI: 1.17-5.61), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed thrombin generation was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality.

Dynapenia and sarcopenia: association with the diagnosis, duration and complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus in ELSA-Brasil / Dinapenia e sarcopenia: associação com o diagnóstico, duração e complicações de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 no ELSA-Brasil / Dinapenia y sarcopenia: asociación con el diagnóstico, duración y complicaciones de la diabetes mellitus tipo 2 en ELSA-Brasil

Abstract: Sarcopenia (the loss of muscle mass, strength and skeletal muscle function) increases mortality and the risk of hospitalization in the older population. Although it is known that older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have a higher risk of dynapenia and sarcopenia, few studies have investigated these conditions in middle-aged populations. The objective of this study was to investigate whether T2DM, its duration, the presence of albuminuria, and glycemic control are associated with sarcopenia and its components in adults. The cross-sectional analysis was based on data from visit 2 of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (2012-2014). The 2018 European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria were used to define dynapenia, low appendicular muscle mass (LAMM), and sarcopenia (absent/probable/confirmed). The explanatory variables were: T2DM; duration of T2DM; T2DM according to the presence of albuminuria; and glycemic control (HbA1C < 7%) among people with T2DM. A total of 12,132 participants (mean age = 55.5, SD: 8.9 years) were included. The odds ratio for LAMM was greater among those with T2DM, T2DM duration from 5 to 10 years, and T2DM without albuminuria. Chances of dynapenia were higher among those with T2DM, T2DM duration > 10 years, and T2DM with and without albuminuria. The variables T2DM, T2DM ≥ 10 years, and T2DM with albuminuria increased the odds of probable sarcopenia, and T2DM duration from 5 to 10 years increased the odds of confirmed sarcopenia. The results support the importance of frequently monitoring the musculoskeletal mass and strength of individuals with T2DM to prevent sarcopenia and related outcomes.

Resumo: A sarcopenia (perda de massa muscular, força e função muscular esquelética) aumenta a mortalidade e o risco de hospitalização em idosos. Idosos com diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2) apresentam risco elevado de desenvolver dinapenia e sarcopenia, mas poucos estudos investigaram populações de meia-idade. O objetivo foi investigar se DMT2, sua duração, a presença de albuminúria e o controle glicêmico estão associados à sarcopenia e seus componentes em adultos. Análise transversal baseada nos dados da segunda visita do Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto (2012-2014). Os critérios do European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People [Grupo de Trabalho Europeu sobre Sarcopenia em Pessoas Idosas] de 2018 foram usados para definir dinapenia, baixa massa muscular apendicular e sarcopenia (ausente/provável/confirmada). As variáveis explicativas foram: DMT2; duração do DMT2; DMT2 de acordo com a presença de albuminúria; e controle glicêmico (HbA1c < 7%) entre pessoas com DMT2. Foram incluídos 12.132 participantes (idade média de 55,5; DP: 8,9 anos). A razão de chances para baixa massa muscular apendicular foi maior entre pessoas com DMT2, duração do DMT2 entre 5 e 10 anos e DMT2 sem albuminúria. As chances de dinapenia foram maiores entre pessoas com DMT2, duração do DMT2 > 10 anos e DMT2 com e sem albuminúria. DMT2, DMT2 ≥ 10 anos e DMT2 com albuminúria aumentaram as chances de sarcopenia provável e duração do DMT2 entre 5 e 10 anos aumentaram as chances de sarcopenia confirmada. Os resultados reforçam a importância do monitoramento frequente da massa e da força muscular em indivíduos com DMT2 para prevenir a sarcopenia e desfechos relacionados.

Resumen: La sarcopenia (pérdida de masa muscular, fuerza y función muscular esquelética) aumenta la mortalidad y el riesgo de hospitalización en ancianos. Los ancianos con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DMT2) presentan un mayor riesgo de sufrir dinapenia y sarcopenia, pero pocos estudios han investigado poblaciones de mediana edad. El objetivo fue investigar si la DMT2, su duración, la presencia de albuminuria y el control glucémico están asociados con la sarcopenia y sus componentes en adultos. Análisis transversal basado en los datos de la visita 2 del Estudio Longitudinal de Salud del Adulto en Brasil (2012-2014). Se utilizaron los criterios del European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People [Grupo de Trabajo Europeo sobre Sarcopenia en Personas Mayores] del 2018 para definir dinapenia, baja masa muscular apendicular y sarcopenia (ausente/probable/confirmada). Las variables explicativas fueron las siguientes: DMT2; duración de la DMT2; DMT2 según la presencia de albuminuria; y control glucémico (HbA1c < 7%) entre personas con DMT2. Se incluyeron 12.132 participantes (edad media = 55,5, DE: 8,9 años). La razón de probabilidades de masa muscular apendicular baja fue mayor entre personas con DMT2, duración de la DMT2 entre 5 y 10 años y DMT2 sin albuminuria. Las probabilidades de dinapenia fueron mayores entre las personas con DMT2, duración de la DMT2 > 10 años y DMT2 con y sin albuminuria. Las condiciones de DMT2, DMT2 ≥ 10 años y DMT2 con albuminuria aumentaron las probabilidades de sarcopenia probable y la duración de la DMT2 entre 5 y 10 años las probabilidades de sarcopenia confirmada. Los resultados refuerzan la importancia del monitoreo frecuente de la masa y de la fuerza musculoesquelética en individuos con DMT2 para prevenir la sarcopenia y los desenlaces relacionados.

Sleep duration, insomnia and cognitive performance in the Elsa-Brasil cohort: a cross-sectional analysis / Duração do sono, insônia e desempenho cognitivo na coorte Elsa-Brasil: uma análise transversal

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the single and combined associations between sleep disturbances (sleep duration, insomnia symptoms in the last 30 nights, and daytime tiredness) and performance in cognitive tests. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of data from visit 2 (2012-2014) of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health from a cohort of active and retired civil servants from six Brazilian capitals. Polynomial regression with quadratic term and multiple linear regression models were performed to assess single and combined associations between sleep disturbances and memory performance, fluency, executive functions, and global cognition. Results: A total of 7,248 participants were included, with a mean age of 62.7 years (standard deviation [SD]=5.9), and 55.2% were women. Inverted U-shaped associations were observed between sleep duration and performance on all cognitive abilities, suggesting that durations shorter or longer than seven hours are associated with worse performance, regardless of age. Reported insomnia was associated with worse executive function (β: -0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.15 to -0.01), and the magnitudes of associations were higher for individuals with insomnia at two or more moments (β: -0.12; 95%CI -0.19 to -0.05) or, especially, insomnia combined with short sleep (β: -0.18; 95%CI -0.24 to -0.11). Insomnia in two or more periods was also associated with lower memory and global cognition. There was no association between any sleep disturbance tested and verbal fluency. Isolated daytime tiredness was not associated with performance in the evaluated tests. Conclusion: The results suggest that extreme sleep durations are detrimental to almost all cognitive abilities investigated, whereas insomnia appears to affect more severely the executive function.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar a associação isolada e combinada entre distúrbios do sono (duração do sono, sintomas de insônia nas últimas 30 noites e cansaço diurno) e desempenho em testes cognitivos. Métodos: Análise transversal dos dados da visita 2 (2012-2014) do Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto de coorte de servidores públicos ativos e aposentados de seis capitais brasileiras. Regressão polinomial com termo quadrático e modelos de regressão linear múltipla foram realizados para avaliar associações isoladas e combinadas entre distúrbios do sono e desempenho na memória, fluência, funções executivas e cognição global. Resultados: Foram incluídos um total de 7.248 participantes, com média etária de 62,7 anos (desvio padrão [DP]=5,9), sendo 55,2% mulheres. Associações em forma de U invertido foram observadas entre duração do sono e desempenho em todas as habilidades cognitivas, sugerindo que durações menores ou maiores que sete horas estão associadas ao pior desempenho, independentemente da idade. O relato de insônia foi associado à pior função executiva (β: -0.08; IC95% -0.15 a -0.01), sendo as magnitudes das associações maiores para indivíduos com insônia em dois ou mais momentos (β: -0.12; intervalo de confiança [IC]95% -0.19 a -0.05) ou, especialmente, insônia combinada com sono curto (β: -0.18; IC95% -0.24 a -0.11). Insônia em dois ou mais períodos também foi associada à menor memória e cognição global. Não houve associação entre qualquer distúrbio do sono testado e fluência verbal. Cansaço diurno isolado não foi associado ao desempenho nos testes avaliados. Conclusão: Os resultados sugerem que a duração extrema do sono é prejudicial para quase todas as funções cognitivas investigadas, enquanto a insônia parece afetar mais fortemente a função executiva.

Patterns of metabolic syndrome and associated factors in women from the ELSA-Brasil: a latent class analysis approach.

This study aimed to identify patterns of metabolic syndrome among women and estimate their prevalence and relationship with sociodemographic and biological characteristics. In total, 5,836 women were evaluated using baseline data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Patterns of metabolic syndrome were defined via latent class analysis, using the following metabolic abnormalities as indicators: abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and reduced HDL cholesterol. The relationship between these patterns and individual characteristics was assessed using latent class analysis with covariates. Three patterns of metabolic syndrome were identified: high metabolic expression, moderate metabolic expression, and low metabolic expression. The first two patterns represented most women (53.8%) in the study. Women with complete primary or secondary education and belonging to lower social classes were more likely to have higher metabolic expression. Black and mixed-race women were more likely to have moderate metabolic expression. Menopausal women aged 50 years and older were more often classified into patterns of greater health risk. This study addressed the heterogeneous nature of metabolic syndrome, identifying three distinct profiles for the syndrome among women. The combination of abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, and hypertension represents the main metabolic profile found among ELSA-Brasil participants. Sociodemographic and biological factors were important predictors of patterns of metabolic syndrome.