Association Between Life's Essential 8 Score and Stroke Risk in American Adults

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cardiovascular health is crucial for preventing stroke, a leading cause of death.
• Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score is a comprehensive measure of cardiovascular health.
• Understanding the association between LE8 and stroke risk is vital for public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the correlation between the Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score and the risk of stroke in American adults.
• To investigate the relationship between LE8 components and stroke incidence.
• To examine potential nonlinear associations between LE8 and stroke risk.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2005 to 2020.
• Employed weighted multivariate logistic regression and propensity score matching.
• Applied restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis to explore nonlinear relationships.

Main Results:

• A total of 31,653 subjects were analyzed, with 3.8% experiencing stroke.
• Higher LE8 scores were significantly associated with a lower risk of stroke (OR=0.29 for high CVH).
• Significant nonlinear correlation found between LE8 score and stroke risk (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• LE8 scores are negatively associated with stroke risk among American adults.
• Improving cardiovascular health via LE8 can significantly reduce stroke risk.
• Early screening and tailored interventions for low CVH individuals are recommended.