Ethnicity and mortality from systemic lupus erythematosus in the US.

OBJECTIVE: To study ethnic differences in mortality from systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) in two large, population-based datasets. METHODS: We analysed the national death data (1979-98) from the National Center for Health Statistics (Hyattsville, Maryland, USA) and hospitalisation data (1993-2002) from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), the largest hospitalisation database in the US. RESULTS: The overall, unadjusted, lupus mortality in the National Center for Health Statistics data was 4.6 per million, whereas the proportion of in-hospital mortality from the NIS was 2.9%. African-Americans had disproportionately higher mortality risk than Caucasians (all-cause mortality relative risk adjusted for age = 1.24 (women), 1.36 (men); lupus mortality relative risk = 3.91 (women), 2.40 (men)). Excess risk was found among in-hospital deaths (odds ratio adjusted for age = 1.4 (women), 1.3 (men)). Lupus death rates increased overall from 1979 to 98 (p<0.001). The proportional increase was greatest among African-Americans. Among Caucasian men, death rates declined significantly (p<0.001), but rates did not change substantially for African-American men. The African-American:Caucasian mortality ratio rose with time among men, but there was little change among women. In analyses of the NIS data adjusted for age, the in-hospital mortality risk decreased with time among Caucasian women (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: African-Americans with lupus have 2-3-fold higher lupus mortality risk than Caucasians. The magnitude of the risk disparity is disproportionately higher than the disparity in all-cause mortality. A lupus-specific biological factor, as opposed to socioeconomic and access-to-care factors, may be responsible for this phenomenon.

Pre-AIDS physical disability: data from the AIDS Time-Oriented Health Outcome Study.

OBJECTIVE: To document the severity and correlates of perceived physical disability in a group of persons with HIV infection before an AIDS-defining illness, and to compare disability levels with a group of adults not infected with HIV. DESIGN: Observational cross-sectional study. SETTING: Community-based sample in California recruited through the AIDS Time-Oriented Health Outcome Study. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred thirty-one asymptomatic and 345 symptomatic persons with HIV infection, primarily Caucasian, well-educated, homosexual and bisexual men. The control group consisted of 2,567 persons evaluated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Epidemiologic Follow-up Study, a national probability sample of civilian, noninstitutionalized persons between ages 1 and 74 years living in the United States. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Perceived physical disability measured by the HIV Health Assessment Questionnaire, a self-administered questionnaire that measures perceived disability in eight areas of mobility and activities of daily living. RESULTS: There were few significant differences between the asymptomatic and symptomatic groups. Total disability scores demonstrated a moderately strong relationship to number of symptoms, overall health status, employment, and Medical Outcomes Study-HIV fatigue index (r = -.39 to .59; p < .001). With few exceptions, less than 10% of the cohort perceived limitations to any degree and no more than 2% reported being "unable to perform" in a given functional category. However, both groups demonstrated somewhat higher levels of physical dysfunction than an age-, race-, and education-matched comparison group of adults without HIV infection. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with HIV infection before an AIDS-defining illness demonstrate relatively low levels of physical dysfunction. When present, deficits tend to occur among instrumental activities of daily living. Despite the relatively low levels, perceived disability among the pre-AIDS sample is somewhat higher than that of the general population. Implications for functional assessment, disability screening, and future HIV disability research are discussed.

Aging, health risks, and cumulative disability.

BACKGROUND: Persons with lower health risks tend to live longer than those with higher health risks, but there has been concern that greater longevity may bring with it greater disability. We performed a longitudinal study to determine whether persons with lower potentially modifiable health risks have more or less cumulative disability. METHODS: We studied 1741 university alumni who were surveyed first in 1962 (average age, 43 years) and then annually starting in 1986. Strata of high, moderate, and low risk were defined on the basis of smoking, body-mass index, and exercise patterns. Cumulative disability was determined with a health-assessment questionnaire and scored on a scale of 0 to 3. Cumulative disability from 1986 to 1994 (average age in 1994, 75 years) or death was the measure of lifetime disability. RESULTS: Persons with high health risks in 1962 or 1986 had twice the cumulative disability of those with low health risks (disability index, 1.02 vs. 0.49; P<0.001). The results were consistent among survivors, subjects who died, men, and women and for both the last year and the last two years of observation. The onset of disability was postponed by more than five years in the low-risk group as compared with the high-risk group. The disability index for the low-risk subjects who died was half that for the high-risk subjects in the last one or two years of observation. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking, body-mass index, and exercise patterns in midlife and late adulthood are predictors of subsequent disability. Not only do persons with better health habits survive longer, but in such persons, disability is postponed and compressed into fewer years at the end of life.

Physical disability in a cohort of persons with AIDS: data from the AIDS Time-Oriented Health Outcome Study.

OBJECTIVE: Physical disability is one of the more important determinants of health-related quality of life in person with AIDS, although little information is available on specific physical functional deficits. The purpose of this study was to document the types, frequency, severity, and correlates of physical disability in persons with AIDS. DESIGN: The design was cross-sectional with assessment of disability at the initial evaluation for the AIDS Time-Oriented Health Outcome Study, an observational community-based cohort of persons with AIDS. METHODS: Disability was measured by the HIV Health Assessment Questionnaire, a self-administered assessment of perceived difficulty in eight functional categories. Additional medical and demographic information was obtained from chart review, in addition to other standardized quality of life measures. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 546 persons, primarily white homosexual men, evaluated a mean of 475 days (SD, 474) after an AIDS-defining diagnosis. Ten to 50% of men reported some degree of activity-specific disability, mostly mild or moderate. Disability scores varied widely and tended to be most severe among those items considered to be high level 'instrumental activities of daily living'. Univariate correlations were strong between disability and number of symptoms, global health status, and the Medical Outcomes Study HIV fatigue index (r = -0.4223 to 0.5115 for men). Correlations between disability and either time from AIDS diagnosis or CD4 T-lymphocyte count were not statistically significant. For men, stepwise multiple regression showed that 26.9% of disability variance was explained by symptoms, 3.7% by the Medical Outcomes Study HIV fatigue index, and 1.8% by total number of opportunistic infections. CONCLUSION: We conclude that physical function is variable among persons with AIDS living in the community, with a substantial number experiencing mild to moderate deficits tending to occur in instrumental activities of daily living. Further studies should address the need for and efficacy of appropriate rehabilitation interventions in persons with AIDS experiencing physical disability.

Physical disability in older runners: prevalence, risk factors, and progression with age.

BACKGROUND: Concern exists that certain types of exercise, particularly vigorous activity, may increase physical disability among older individuals. We investigated the prevalence of, and risk factors for, physical disability in active older persons (runners), and examined factors influencing the progression of physical disability with age. METHODS: Physical disability, measured using the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, was assessed prospectively in 454 runners, age 50 or greater, over five to seven years by annual mailed questionnaires. Baseline sociodemographic, clinical, and life-style characteristics associated with the presence of any disability over the course of the study were determined and contrasted with those in 292 older non-runners who had been similarly followed. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-two runners (49%) reported some physical disability during the study. The presence of arthritis symptoms at baseline was the most important risk factor for physical disability; older age, greater body mass index, strenuous work-related physical activity, and the use of more medications were also associated with a greater likelihood of physical disability. Among the non-runners, 224 (77%) reported some physical disability, and the presence of arthritis symptoms was also the most important risk factor for physical disability in this group. Age-related changes in physical disability differed between those with and without arthritis symptoms in both the runner and non-runner groups. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of arthritis symptoms was an important risk factor for physical disability among both older runners and non-runners, and also identified subgroups of individuals with different progressions of disability with age.

Running and the development of disability with age.

OBJECTIVE: To determine, by longitudinal study, whether regular vigorous running activity is associated with accelerated, unchanged, or postponed development of disability with increasing age. STUDY DESIGN: 8-year prospective, longitudinal study with yearly assessments. PARTICIPANTS: 451 members of a runners' club and 330 community controls who were initially 50 to 72 years old (also characterized as "ever-runners" [n = 534] and "never-runners" [n = 247], respectively). MEASUREMENTS: The dependent variable was disability as assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire and separately validated in these participant cohorts. Covariates included age, sex, body mass index, comorbid conditions, education level, smoking history, alcohol intake, mean blood pressure, initial disability level, family history of arthritis, and radiologic evidence of osteoarthritis of the knee in a subsample. RESULTS: Initially, the runners were leaner, reported joint symptoms less frequently, took fewer medications, had fewer medical problems, and had fewer instances of and less severe disability, suggesting either that the average previous 12 years of running had improved health or that self-selection bias was present. After 8 years of longitudinal study, the differences in initial disability levels (0.026 compared with 0.079; P < 0.001) had steadily increased to 0.071 for runners compared with 0.242 for controls (P < 0.001). The difference was consistent for men and women. The rate of development of disability was several times lower in the runners' club members than in community controls; this difference persisted after adjusting for age, sex, body mass, baseline disability, smoking history, history of arthritis, or other comorbid conditions (slopes of progression of disability for the years 1984 to 1992, after adjusting for covariates: men in the runners' club, 0.004 [SE, 0.002]; community controls, 0.012 [SE, 0.002]; women in the runners' club, 0.009 [SE, 0.005]; community controls, 0.027 [SE, 0.004]; P < 0.002 for both sets of comparisons). In addition to differences in disability, there were significant differences in mortality between the runners' club members (1.49%) and community controls (7.09%) (P < 0.001). These differences remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, body mass, comorbid conditions, education level, smoking history, alcohol intake, and mean blood pressure (P < 0.002, conditional risk ratio for community controls compared with the runners, 4.27; 95% CI, 1.78 to 10.26). CONCLUSIONS: Older persons who engage in vigorous running and other aerobic activities have lower mortality and slower development of disability than do members of the general population. This association is probably related to increased aerobic activity, strength, fitness, and increased organ reserve rather than to an effect of postponed osteoarthritis development.

Predictors of physical disability after age 50. Six-year longitudinal study in a runners club and a university population.

Predictors of disability were studied over 6 years among 50- to 80-year-old members of a runners club (N = 407) and a university population (N = 299). Data have been collected annually since 1984 on sociodemographic characteristics, health habits, medical history, medication use, family history, psychological parameters, and physical disability as measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Members of the runners club, compared to university participants, had better overall health and less disability at baseline (0.03 versus 0.08) and at 6-year follow-up (0.04 versus 0.24). Predictors of greater subsequent disability among university participants were greater baseline disability, greater medication use, greater number of pack-years of cigarette smoking, older age, being unmarried, higher blood pressure, history of arthritis, and less physical activity compared to one's peers. In addition, changes in characteristics during follow-up that were independently associated with greater disability were development of joint pain, arthritis, or bone fracture and increased body mass index. Predictors of greater disability in the runners group included greater baseline disability, being a nonrunner at baseline, greater dietary salt intake, more years of running at baseline, and greater frequency of physician visits for running injuries. Greater disability in this group also was associated with increases in medication use, declining alcohol consumption, and development of joint pain over 6 years. Results of this study suggest that physical disability is linked to a constellation of characteristics, health habits, medical history, comorbidities, and marital status. While self-selection bias cannot be ruled out entirely, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that those who engage in high levels of physical activity beyond middle age will continue to maintain better functional abilities.

Risk factors for physical disability in an aging cohort: the NHANES I Epidemiologic Followup Study.

Successful improvement in health in our increasingly aged population will depend in substantial part on reduction of age specific disability levels. In turn, the epidemiologic model suggests that this requires identification of risk factors, development of intervention models, and testing of these models. We attempted to identify risk factors for physical disability among 4,428 50-77-year-olds using baseline data collected in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) (1971-1975) linked to disability data collected 10 years later in the NHANES I Epidemiologic Followup Study. Results of forward stepwise linear regression analysis showed that the major characteristics contributing to greater disability (explaining at least 1% of the variability in scores) were older age at baseline, less nonrecreational activity, arthritis history, less education, female sex, and greater body mass index at age 40. Other factors associated with greater disability included a history of asthma, cardiovascular disease, abnormal urine test, less recreational activity, higher sedimentation rate, rheumatic fever history, lower caloric intake, positive musculoskeletal findings, histories of polio and allergies, lower family income, elevated blood pressure, lower serum albumin, history of tuberculosis, glucose in the urine, and histories of hip or spine fracture, chronic pulmonary disease, and kidney disease.

Gender and race differences in the correlation between body mass and education in the 1971-1975 NHANES I.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Differences in the correlation between body mass index and education across four gender and race groups were investigated while simultaneously accounting for occupation, income, marital status, and age. DESIGN: The study used analysis of covariance techniques to calculate average body mass and confidence intervals within education categories while simultaneously adjusting for the covariates: age, square of age, family income, marital status, and occupation. SETTING: Data were drawn from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I), 1971-1975. NHANES I is a national probability sample designed to gather information on the non-institutionalised US civilians, ages 1-74 years. SUBJECTS: Samples of 8211 white women, 1673 black women, 6188 white men, and 1023 black men were drawn from the NHANES I, 1971-1975. MAIN RESULTS: Data in the female samples indicate a strictly inverse relation between body mass and years of schooling among white women and an inverted "U" association among black women, achieving a maximum around 8 to 11 years of schooling. In the male samples data indicate inverted "U" relations among both black and white men, reaching maxima between 12 and 15 years of schooling. The sides of the "U" curve are much steeper for black than for white men. CONCLUSIONS: The four gender/race categories display four different body mass index and education associations. These four associations are only slightly altered by simultaneously adjusting for two additional measures of socioeconomic status: occupation and income.

Running, osteoarthritis, and bone density: initial 2-year longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present the 2-year follow-up results examining associations of repetitive long-term physical impact (running) with osteoarthritis and osteoporosis in 34 members of a running club now aged 52 to 74 years and 34 matched control subjects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Roentgenograms of the hands, lateral lumbar spine, and knees were assessed in pairs (1984 and 1986) without knowledge of running status. Computerized scans of the first lumbar vertebrae were obtained to quantify bone mineral. RESULTS: A decrease in bone density over the 2-year period was statistically significant for nearly all subjects, especially for runners who decreased their running habits. At the 2-year follow-up, runners maintained greater bone density. Progression of the roentgenographic scores for osteoarthritis demonstrated a statistically significant increase in almost all groups in this normative population over the 2-year period. Female runners had more spur formation in the weight-bearing knee roentgenograms than did control subjects. CONCLUSION: With the possible exception of spur formation in women, running did not appear to influence the development of radiologic osteoarthritis in the populations studied.

Identification of patients at risk for gastropathy associated with NSAID use.

It is suggested that gastropathy associated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID) is the most frequent and, in aggregate, the most severe drug side effect in the United States. This work is based on a consecutive series of 2,400 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) followed prospectively for an average of 3.5 years by the American Rheumatism Association Medical Information System. We present a preliminary exploration of the magnitude of the problem, the population at risk and the patients within that population who are at particularly high risk. Patients on NSAID had a hazard ratio for gastrointestinal (GI) hospitalization that was 6.45 times that of patients not on NSAID. Characteristically, patients at high risk for GI hospitalization and GI death are older, have had previous upper abdominal pain, have previously stopped NSAID due to GI side effects and have previously used antacids or histamine2-receptor antagonists for GI side effects. These patients also frequently take corticosteroids. Patients attributing relatively minor symptoms to NSAID tend to be younger and female. Our preliminary analysis is univariate; since these variables are interdependent, firm conclusions regarding the relative importance of these risk factors require development of multivariate risk factor models. The syndrome of NSAID-associated gastropathy can be estimated to account for at least 2,600 deaths and 20,000 hospitalizations each year in patients with RA alone.

Toward an epidemiology of gastropathy associated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use.

The thesis of this paper is that gastropathy associated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is the most frequent and, in aggregate, the most severe drug side effect in the United States. This work is based on a consecutive series of 2400 patients with rheumatoid arthritis followed prospectively for an average of 3.5 yr by ARAMIS, the American Rheumatism Association Medical Information System. We present a preliminary exploration of the magnitude of the problem, the population at risk, and the patients within that population who are at particularly high risk. Patients on NSAIDs had a hazard ratio for gastrointestinal (GI) hospitalization that was 6.45 times that of patients not on NSAIDs. Characteristically, high-risk patients for GI hospitalization and GI death are older, have had previous upper abdominal pain, have previously stopped NSAIDs for GI side effects, and have previously used antacids or H2-receptor antagonists for GI side effects. They also are frequently on corticosteroids. In contrast, patients attributing relatively minor symptoms to the drug tend to be younger and more frequently female. Our preliminary analysis is univariate and, as these variables are interdependent, firm conclusions regarding the relative importance of these risk factors will require reevaluating our data base as it is expanded using multivariate analysis. The syndrome of NSAID-associated gastropathy can be estimated to account for at least 2600 deaths and 20,000 hospitalizations each year in patients with rheumatoid arthritis alone.

Life-style correlates of risk factor change in young adults: an eight-year study of coronary heart disease risk factors in the Framingham offspring.

This paper describes the life-style and behavioral correlates of change in coronary heart disease risk factors measured eight years apart in the young adult offspring of the Framingham Heart Study cohort. Changes in total cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterols (high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol), and blood pressure were observed longitudinally in 397 men and 497 women who were aged 20-29 years at entry into the study. Stepwise multiple linear regression procedures were used to identify characteristics and their changes that were significantly associated with risk factor changes in each sex. The attribute most strongly and consistently related to lipoprotein and blood pressure changes in both sexes was change in body mass index (p less than or equal to 0.01 or p less than or equal to 0.001). In addition to weight gain, increases in alcohol consumption in men (p less than or equal to 0.001) and beginning oral contraceptive use in women (p less than or equal to 0.01) were associated with increases in blood pressure over the study period. Weight loss, stopping or decreasing cigarette consumption (p less than or equal to 0.01), increasing alcohol intake (p less than or equal to 0.01), and, in women, discontinuing oral contraceptive use (p less than or equal to 0.01) also were independently related to improvements in lipoprotein profiles during follow-up. After adjustment for all life-style correlates of risk factor change, simple self-assessments of physical activity or activity change were negatively associated with changes in VLDL cholesterol (p less than or equal to 0.01) and the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (p less than or equal to 0.05) in men and positively associated with changes in HDL cholesterol (p less than or equal to 0.05) in women. Sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics that made a further independent contribution to increases in the total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio in men were blue-collar occupation and trait Type A behavior pattern (p less than or equal to 0.05). Unexplained, but provocative, results of this study included the associations of interim vasectomy with increases in total cholesterol in men (p less than or equal to 0.05) and of number of livebirths with decreases in total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol in women (p less than or equal to 0.01). These findings are among the first to offer prospective evidence which suggests that habits and behaviors during young adulthood have a substantial effect on lipid and lipoprotein profiles in men and women.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Weight and hypertension.

Both excess weight and hypertension may contribute independently to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Weight and blood pressure have been found to be associated in most studies in diverse populations. The increase or decrease of blood pressure with weight gain or loss suggests a causal relation, although the mechanism is uncertain. A correlation between blood pressure and weight can be identified early in life. This correlation coefficient increases to approximately 0.4 in young adults and then begins to decrease at older ages. It is likely that weight interacts with various factors controlling blood pressure at different points over a lifetime. The implications for prognosis or control of blood pressure at different ages may vary as well. Attention to minimizing weight gain at a particular period of life, such as in young adulthood, might have long-term beneficial effects in preventing subsequent hypertension or excess blood pressure increase with aging.

Obesity as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease: a 26-year follow-up of participants in the Framingham Heart Study.

The relationship between the degree of obesity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) was reexamined in the 5209 men and women of the original Framingham cohort. Recent observations of disease occurrence over 26 years indicate that obesity, measured by Metropolitan Relative Weight, was a significant independent predictor of CVD, particularly among women. Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that Metropolitan Relative Weight, or percentage of desirable weight, on initial examination predicted 26-year incidence of coronary disease (both angina and coronary disease other than angina), coronary death and congestive heart failure in men independent of age, cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, cigarettes, left ventricular hypertrophy and glucose intolerance. Relative weight in women was also positively and independently associated with coronary disease, stroke, congestive failure, and coronary and CVD death. These data further show that weight gain after the young adult years conveyed an increased risk of CVD in both sexes that could not be attributed either to the initial weight or the levels of the risk factors that may have resulted from weight gain. Intervention in obesity, in addition to the well established risk factors, appears to be an advisable goal in the primary prevention of CVD.

Genetic and environmental influences on pulmonary function in adult twins.

As part of the NHLBI Twin Study, pulmonary function tests were successfully administered to 127 monozygotic and 141 dizygotic white male twin pairs 42 to 56 yr of age. Values for forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were obtained using a standardized protocol for spirometry. Initial twin analyses showed significant genetic variance (p less than 0.001) for both FVC and FEV1, whether or not adjustments were made for individual differences in age and body size. After adjustment, heritability estimates were 0.91 and 0.77 for FVC and FEV1, respectively. Further analyses indicated that the observed heritability of FVC resulted from the effects of pack-years of smoking as well as from genetic factors related to body size. These findings suggest that there were no other significant genetic determinants of FVC. In contrast, heritability of FEV1 could not be explained by constitutional factors, such as height and weight, or by cigarette smoking or propensity for cardiopulmonary disease symptoms. Additional analyses were done based on frequency of twin contact, which served as an indirect measure of environmental similarity between cotwins. Results suggested that there was a shared environmental variation in FEV1, as well as genetic variation, that could not be attributed to subpopulation differences in measured characteristics. The findings of this study are consistent with theories of genetic influences on alveolar and airway development and argue in favor of early as well as adult environmental influences on pulmonary function.

Clinical characteristics and cigarette smoking in relation to prognosis of angina pectoris in Framingham.

A long-term follow-up study of 130 Framingham, Massachusetts, men with newly diagnosed uncomplicated angina pectoris was undertaken in an attempt to identify medical and personal characteristics which could predict the likelihood of a future coronary event. Analyses indicated that, among the baseline characteristics, systolic blood pressure and electrocardiographic findings were the most powerful independent predictors of the outcome. Elevated blood pressure or an abnormal electrocardiogram increased coronary risk more than twofold. The lack of association between smoking at diagnosis and a new event appeared to be related to changes in habits after angina onset. Further scrutiny of the data indicated that, irrespective of blood pressure and electrocardiographic findings, those less than 60 years of age at angina onset who were nonsmokers or quitters during follow-up had a definite prognostic advantage over similarly aged continuing smokers. These results could not be explained by differences in coronary risk factors prior to symptom onset or by changes in factors other than smoking during follow-up. The findings suggest that stopping the cigarette smoking habit can improve both short-term and long-term prognosis in the younger patient and angina pectoris.