Work

A descriptive three-domain limitation count is associated with incident cardiovascular disease across three longitudinal ageing cohorts

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Functional and psychological vulnerabilities commonly coexist in ageing populations, but their cumulative association with cardiovascular disease is uncertain. We analysed 31,535 adults aged 50 years or older without baseline heart disease or stroke in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, Health and Retirement Study, and English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Multidomain vulnerability burden was a non-weighted count of activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living limitation, mobility limitation, and elevated depressive symptoms. During follow-up, 8,950 participants developed cardiovascular disease. Each additional vulnerability domain was associated with incident cardiovascular disease in CHARLS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.238, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.177–1.302), HRS (HR 1.172, 95% CI 1.133–1.213), and ELSA (HR 1.242, 95% CI 1.166–1.324). The pooled HR was 1.210 (95% CI 1.113–1.316; 95% prediction interval 1.051–1.393). Associations were graded across 0, 1, and ≥ 2 domains and persisted when each domain was removed in turn. Greater multidomain vulnerability burden was consistently associated with incident cardiovascular disease, although the count should be regarded as an analytic measure rather than a validated clinical risk instrument.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-76507-8

Authors: Renyang Shou, Lu Li, Shushu Zhu

Institutions: Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University

Language: English

Topic: Frailty in Older Adults

Subfield: Geriatrics and Gerontology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690