Relative heart volume and subsequent mortality in old people

In 1971 radiologic heart volume was measured in 721 men and women over the age of 65 as part of a cardio-respiratory screening examination in a rural community in Central Finland. The survival time for the whole series examined was followed for up to ten years. Relative heart volume did not differ between the sexes, but it increased with age in both men and women. The relative heart volume of almost every second woman exceeded 450 ml/m2, whereas in men it exceeded 500 ml/m2 in only every fifth. These limits have often been considered appropriate for the respective sexes. There was an inverse correlation between relative heart volume and survival time. A large relative volume predicted excess mortality due to cardiovascular diseases. A small relative heart volume predicted excess mortality attributable to tumours and respiratory diseases.