Vascular age calculation from SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP cardiovascular risk tables

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular disease risk assessment
• Public health
• Preventive cardiology

Background:

• The SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP risk tables (2021) replaced older SCORE tables in European cardiovascular guidelines.
• Vascular age, a concept introduced in 2012, has previously lacked tables derived from the newer SCORE2/SCORE2-OP risk algorithms.
• Existing vascular age tools are not aligned with current European cardiovascular risk stratification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel vascular age tables based on the SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP cardiovascular risk prediction models.
• To provide an updated tool for assessing vascular age in line with current European guidelines.
• To address the absence of vascular age tables derived from the latest cardiovascular risk assessment tools.

Main Methods:

• Calculated regressions between age and cardiovascular risk for baseline and non-baseline conditions across sex and risk zones using SCORE2/SCORE2-OP data.
• Determined vascular age by equating risk in risk table boxes to baseline conditions.
• Assessed adjustment and agreement using regression, determination, and intraclass correlation coefficients.

Main Results:

• Developed four distinct vascular age tables for low, moderate, high, and very high cardiovascular risk countries.
• Demonstrated high concordance ( > 0.99) among the four tables, enabling the creation of a universal vascular age table.
• Confirmed that vascular age, unlike absolute risk, does not require calibration.

Conclusions:

• Successfully created vascular age tables derived from the SCORE2 and SCORE2-OP risk stratification tools.
• A single, universal vascular age table is applicable across all European countries.
• These new tables offer a standardized approach to vascular age assessment in European populations.