Intermittent claudication and subsequent cardiovascular disease in the elderly

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Cardiovascular Medicine

Background:

• Prevalence of intermittent claudication (IC) in community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years).
• Comparison of cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities in individuals with and without IC.
• Examination of IC's independent association with mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and disability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of IC in older adults.
• To compare risk factors and comorbidities between those with and without IC.
• To assess IC's predictive value for mortality and cardiovascular events.

Main Methods:

• Pooled data from 8996 older adults from the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) sites.
• Data collected between 1982 and 1988.
• Analysis of self-reported IC and its association with health outcomes.

Main Results:

• IC prevalence was 2.4% in men and 1.5% in women.
• Individuals with IC showed higher rates of diabetes, cardiovascular comorbidity, and smoking.
• IC independently predicted increased mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, and disability.
• IC doubled the risk of cardiovascular mortality in those with prior angina, myocardial infarction, or stroke.

Conclusions:

• Intermittent claudication is a significant independent predictor of mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in ambulatory older adults.
• IC's predictive power for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality is enhanced when considered alongside traditional risk factors and existing coronary ischemia.
• Measuring IC can improve the prediction of adverse cardiovascular outcomes in the elderly population.