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The abdominal diameter index and sudden coronary death in men
H S Kahn1, E J Simoes, M Koponen
1Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3219, USA.
Insights
The abdominal diameter index better predicts sudden coronary death in men than other common measurements. This simple anthropometric index offers a more sensitive indicator for cardiovascular risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Anthropometry
- Public Health
Background:
- Sudden coronary death (SCD) is a significant public health concern.
- Accurate anthropometric predictors for SCD are crucial for early risk identification.
- Existing indices like waist/hip ratio have limitations in predicting SCD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of alternative anthropometric indexes in discriminating between men with SCD and controls.
- To evaluate the abdominal diameter index (ADI) against traditional ratios for SCD prediction.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 35 men with SCD and 81 male controls from Atlanta.
- Measurement and comparison of several anthropometric indexes, including ADI, waist/hip ratio, and waist/thigh ratio.
- Statistical analysis to assess the association of each index with SCD, with and without adjustments for covariates.
Main Results:
- The abdominal diameter index demonstrated a stronger association with sudden coronary death compared to waist/hip and waist/thigh ratios.
- This association remained significant even after adjusting for age, race, and body mass index.
- ADI proved to be a more sensitive discriminator for SCD in the studied population.
Conclusions:
- The supine sagittal abdominal diameter to midthigh circumference ratio (abdominal diameter index) is a superior anthropometric predictor of sudden coronary death in men.
- This index offers a valuable, potentially more sensitive, tool for cardiovascular risk stratification.
Abstract:
Alternative anthropometric indexes were compared for their ability to discriminate between 35 Atlanta men with sudden coronary death and 81 male controls. With or without adjustments for age, race, and body mass index, the abdominal diameter index (supine sagittal abdominal diameter divided by midthigh circumference) was associated with sudden coronary death more strongly than the waist/hip ratio or waist/thigh ratio of circumferences.