Life's simple 7 cardiovascular health metrics versus Fuster-BEWAT score to predict the new 4-tiered left ventricular hypertrophy classification: insight from a large Asian population
Authors: Wang H.Y , Sun Y.X , Dou K.F , He J 
Published: November 2020

Background

AHA's Life's Simple 7 cardiovascular health score is recommended for use in primary prevention. Simpler tools not requiring laboratory tests, such as the Fuster-BEWAT score (FBS) (blood pressure [B], exercise [E], weight [W], alimentation [A], and tobacco [T]), are also available. This study sought to compare the effectiveness of Life's Simple 7 and FBS in predicting the newly proposed 4-tiered LVH classification based on LV dilatation (high LV end-diastolic volume [EDV] index) and concentricity (mass/end-diastolic volume [M/EDV]0.67) in the general Chinese population.

Methods

Participants from Northeast China Rural Cardiovascular Health study who underwent cardiac echocardiography (n=11,261) were enrolled. Patients with LVH were divided into 4 groups–eccentric nondilated (normal M/EDV and EDV), eccentric dilated (increased EDV, normal M/EDV), concentric nondilated (increased M/EDV, normal EDV), and concentric dilated (increased M/EDV and EDV)–and compared with patients with normal LVM. LVH was classified as increased LV mass when indexed to height2.7 using thresholds of≥48 g/m2.7 for men and ≥39 g/m2.7 for women. Previously defined thresholds for elevated EDV indexed to BSA (≥74 ml/m2 for men and ≥68 ml/m2 for women) and M/EDV0.67 (≥9.1 g/ml0.67 for men and ≥8.1 g/ml0.67 for women) were used.

Results

With poor Life's Simple 7 and FBS as references, individuals with ideal Life's Simple 7 and FBS showed lower adjusted odds of having eccentric nondilated (Life's Simple 7, odds ratio [OR]: 0.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20 to 0.34 vs. FBS, OR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.38), eccentric dilated (OR: 0.73 [0.57–0.94] vs. OR: 0.57 [0.43–0.76]), concentric nondilated (OR: 0.12 [0.04–0.38] vs. OR: 0.19 [0.07–0.52]), and concentric dilated LVH (OR: 0.12 [0.03–0.37] vs. OR: 0.26 [0.10–0.72]). For the total ICHS and FBS on a continuous scale from 0 (all 7 poor) to 7 (all 7 ideal), risk reductions of the four distinct LVH patterns were of comparable magnitude for each 1-point increment of ICHS and FBS. Similar levels of significantly discriminating accuracy were found for Life's Simple 7 and FBS with respect to the eccentric nondilated (C-statistic: 0.737; 95% CI: 0.725 to 0.750 vs. 0.731; 95% CI: 0.718 to 0.744, respectively), eccentric dilated (0.684 [0.670–0.699] vs. 0.686 [0.671–0.701]), concentric nondilated (0.658 [0.624–0.692] vs. 0.650 [0.615–0.684]), and concentric dilated LVH (0.711 [0.678–0.744] vs. 0.698 [0.663–0.733]).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that the FBS appears capable of performing just as well as does the Life's Simple 7 in predicting the novel 4-group classification of LVH, making the FBS particularly suited as a reliable low-cost indicator of CV health in settings where access to laboratory analysis is limited and health care resources are constrained. Therefore, it may be considered the first option in settings where access to laboratory analysis is limited.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Foundation. Main funding source(s): National Natural Science Foundation of China