Incidence of acute myocardial infarction in first and second generation minority groups: does the second generation converge towards the majority population?

BACKGROUND

Differences in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) incidence between ethnic minority and migrant groups (henceforth, minority groups) and the majority population have been reported. Health differences may converge towards the majority population over generations. We assessed whether AMI incidence differences between minority groups living in the Netherlands and the Dutch majority population exist, and whether the incidence converges towards the majority population over generations.

METHODS

A nationwide register-based cohort study was conducted from 1997 to 2007. Using Cox Proportional Hazard Models AMI incidence differences between minorities and the majority population were estimated. When possible, analyses were stratified by generation.

RESULTS

AMI incidence differences between minorities and the majority population depended on the country of origin, and often varied between minorities originating from the same geographical region. For example, among North African and Mediterranean minorities, incidence was higher in Turkish (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.34; 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): 1.28-1.41), but lower in Moroccans (HR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.40-0.52) compared with the majority population. Most minorities had a similar or lower incidence than the majority population, which remained similar or converged towards the incidence of the majority population over generations. In contrast, among minorities from the former Dutch colonies (Suriname, Indonesia, Netherlands Antilles) beneficial intergenerational changes were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Health care professionals and policy makers should be aware of substantial AMI incidence differences between minority groups and the majority population, and the often unbeneficial change over generations. Future research should be cautious when clustering minority groups based on geographical region of the country of origin.

Downward trends in acute myocardial infarction incidence: how do migrants fare with the majority population? Results from a nationwide study

AIMS

In previous decades, a steep decline in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) incidence occurred in Western countries. We assessed whether this decline was also present in migrant groups living in the Netherlands.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Nationwide registers were linked between 1998 and 2007. Poisson regression analyses were used to calculate the biannual percentage change in AMI incidence within major non-Western migrant groups, and the differences in these changes with the Dutch majority population. Within the Dutch majority population, AMI incidence significantly declined in men (-12%) and women (-9.5%). Incidence also declined among most migrant groups under study, ranging from -12 to -4.0% in men, and from -16 to -9.5% in women. Only in Turkish women and Moroccan men the AMI incidence remained stable over time (-0.3 and 2.8%, respectively). There were no statistically significant trend differences between the Dutch majority population and the migrant groups under study. The higher AMI incidence in Turkish men and Surinamese men and women, and the lower AMI incidence in Moroccan men persisted over time.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a declining AMI incidence rate within the Dutch majority population as well as within most of the major migrant groups living in the Netherlands, except in Turkish women and Moroccan men. Trend patterns among migrant groups did not significantly differ from the Dutch majority population. To reduce ethnic inequalities, primary preventive strategies should be targeted at those migrant groups with a persisting higher incidence.

Age- and Gender-Specific Time Trend in Risk of Death of Patients Admitted with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in the Netherlands

Background and aim

In a meta-analysis of population-based studies, case-fatality rates of subarachnoid hemorrhage have decreased worldwide by 17% between 1973 and 2002. However, age- and gender-specific decreases could not be determined. Because >10% of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage die before reaching the hospital, this suggests that the prognosis for hospitalized subarachnoid hemorrhage patients has improved even more. We assessed age- and gender-specific time trends of the risk of death for hospitalized subarachnoid hemorrhage patients.

Methods

From the Dutch hospital discharge register (nationwide coverage), we identified 9403 patients admitted with subarachnoid hemorrhage in the Netherlands between 1997 and 2006. Changes in risk of death within this time frame and influence of age and gender were quantified with Poisson regression.

Results

The overall 30-day risk of death was 34·0% (95% confidence interval 33·1↔35·0%). After adjustment for age and gender, the annual decrease was 1·6% (95% confidence interval 0·5↔2·6%), which confers to a decrease of 13·4% (95% confidence interval4·8↔21·2%) in the study period. The one-year risk of death decreased 2·0% per year (95% confidence interval1·1↔2·9%). The decrease in risk of death was mainly found in the period 2003–2005, was not found for patients ≥65 years and was statistically significant for men, but not for women.

Conclusions

The decrease in risk of death for patients admitted in the Netherlands with subarachnoid hemorrhage is overall considerable, but unevenly distributed over age and gender. Further research should focus on reasons for improved survival (improved diagnostics, improved treatment) and reasons why improvement has not occurred for women and for patients in older age categories.

[Trends in incidence of and mortality from ischaemic stroke]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate age- and sex-specific trends in incidence of and mortality from ischaemic stroke (IS) in the Netherlands.

DESIGN

Descriptive study and cohort study.

METHOD

Data from the cause-of-death statistics from Statistics Netherlands, the Dutch national medical registry and local council population registers were used. A cohort of IS patients was formed by linking these registers. Age- and sex-specific trends in mortality from IS in the period 1980-2010 were determined using 'join point' regression analysis. The 30-day and 1-year mortality rates following hospital admission for IS and the incidence of new cases of IS were calculated for the cohort of IS patients. Mann-Kendall tests were used for trend analysis over the period 1997-2005.

RESULTS

Rates of mortality from IS decreased gradually in the period 1980-2000, with the exception of a levelling out of the rate of decrease in a few age groups in the 1990 s. Decrease in mortality declined dramatically after 2000 in all age groups, except for male patients in the age range 35-64 years. A comparative increased rate of decrease after 2000 was observed for 30-day and 1-year mortality following hospital admission for IS. The incidence of IS remained constant in the period 1997-2005, or increased in a few age groups.

CONCLUSION

Mortality rates following IS have decreased dramatically in the Netherlands since 2000. However, the number of cases of non-fatal IS has not decreased and is actually increasing slightly, indicating that more people have experienced IS. This is a concern, since IS often leads to disability with the accompanying burden of disease and economic burden. Prevention of IS is, therefore, extremely important.

Remarkable decline in ischemic stroke mortality is not matched by changes in incidence

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In Western Europe, mortality from ischemic stroke (IS) has declined over several decades. Age-sex-specific IS mortality, IS incidence, 30-day case fatality, and 1-year mortality after hospital admission are essential for explaining recent trends in IS mortality in the new millennium.

METHODS

Data for all IS deaths (1980-2010) in the Netherlands were grouped by year, sex, and age. A joinpoint regression was fitted to detect points in time at which significant changes in the trends occur. By linking nationwide registers, a cohort of patients first admitted for IS between 1997 and 2005 was constructed and age-sex-specific 30-day case fatality and 1-year mortality were computed. IS incidence (admitted IS patients and out-of-hospital IS deaths) was computed by age and sex. Mann-Kendall tests were used for trend evaluation.

RESULTS

IS mortality declined continuously between 1980 and 2000 with an attenuation of decline in the 1990s in some of the age-sex groups. A remarkable decline in IS mortality after 2000 was observed in all age-sex groups, except for young men. An improved decline in 30-day case fatality and in 1-year mortality was also observed in almost all age-sex groups. In contrast, IS incidence remained stable between 1997 and 2005 or even increased slightly.

CONCLUSIONS

The recent remarkable decline in IS mortality was not matched by a decline in the number of incident nonfatal IS events. This is worrying, because IS is already a leading cause of adult disability, claiming a heavy human and economic burden. Prevention of IS is therefore now of the greatest importance.

Population trends and inequalities in incidence and short-term outcome of acute myocardial infarction between 1998 and 2007

OBJECTIVE

We studied time trends in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) incidence, including out-of-hospital mortality proportions and hospitalized case-fatality rates. In addition, we compared AMI trends by age, gender and socioeconomic status.

METHODS

We linked the national Dutch hospital discharge register with the cause of death register to identify first AMI in patients ≥ 35 years between 1998 and 2007. Events were categorized in three groups: 178,322 hospitalized non-fatal, 43,210 hospitalized fatal within 28 days, and 75,520 out-of-hospital fatal AMI events. Time trends were analyzed using Joinpoint and Poisson regression.

RESULTS

Since 1998, age-standardized AMI incidence rates decreased from 620 to 380 per 100,000 in 2007 in men and from 323 to 210 per 100,000 in 2007 in women. Out-of-hospital mortality decreased from 24.3% of AMI in 1998 to 20.6% in 2007 in men and from 33.0% to 28.9% in women. Hospitalized case-fatality declined from 2003 onwards. The annual percentage change in incidence was larger in men than women (-4.9% vs. -4.2%, P<0.001). Furthermore, the decline in AMI incidence was smaller in young (35-54 years: -3.8%) and very old (≥ 85 years: -2.6%) men and women compared to middle-aged individuals (55-84 years: -5.3%, P<0.001). Smaller declines in AMI rates were observed in deprived socioeconomic quintiles Q5 and Q4 relative to the most affluent quintile Q1 (P=0.002 and P=0.015).

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial improvements were observed in incidence, out-of-hospital mortality and short-term case-fatality after AMI in the Netherlands. Young and female groups tend to fall behind, and socioeconomic inequalities in AMI incidence persisted and have not narrowed.

Risk of cardiovascular events and death in the life after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: a nationwide study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The increased mortality rates of survivors of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage have been attributed to an increased risk of cardiovascular events in a registry study in Sweden. Swedish registries have however not been validated for subarachnoid haemorrhage and Scandinavian incidences of cardiovascular disease differ from that in Western European countries. We assessed risks of vascular disease and death in subarachnoid haemorrhage survivors in the Netherlands.

METHODS

From the Dutch hospital discharge register, we identified all patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage admission between 1997 and 2008. We determined the accuracy of coding of the diagnosis subarachnoid haemorrhage for patients admitted to our centre. Conditional on survival of three-months after the subarachnoid haemorrhage, we calculated standardized incidence and mortality ratios for fatal or nonfatal vascular diseases, vascular death, and all-cause death. Cumulative risks were estimated with survival analysis.

RESULTS

The diagnosis of nontraumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage was correct in 95·4% of 1472 patients. Of 11,263 admitted subarachnoid haemorrhage patients, 6999 survived more than three-months. During follow-up (mean 5·1 years), 874 (12·5%) died. The risks of death were 3·3% within one-year, 11·3% within five-years, and 21·5% within 10 years. The standardized mortality ratio was 3·4 (95% confidence interval: 3·1 to 3·7) for vascular death and 2·2 (95% confidence interval: 2·1 to 2·3) for all-cause death. The standardized incidence ratio for fatal or nonfatal vascular diseases was 2·7 (95% confidence interval: 2·6 to 2·8).

CONCLUSIONS

Dutch hospital discharge and cause of death registries are a valid source of data for subarachnoid haemorrhage, and show that the increased mortality rate in subarachnoid haemorrhage survivors is explained by increased risks for vascular diseases and death.

Neighbourhood socioeconomic inequalities in incidence of acute myocardial infarction: a cohort study quantifying age- and gender-specific differences in relative and absolute terms

Background

Socioeconomic status has a profound effect on the risk of having a first acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Information on socioeconomic inequalities in AMI incidence across age- gender-groups is lacking. Our objective was to examine socioeconomic inequalities in the incidence of AMI considering both relative and absolute measures of risk differences, with a particular focus on age and gender.

Methods

We identified all patients with a first AMI from 1997 to 2007 through linked hospital discharge and death records covering the Dutch population. Relative risks (RR) of AMI incidence were estimated by mean equivalent household income at neighbourhood-level for strata of age and gender using Poisson regression models. Socioeconomic inequalities were also shown within the stratified age-gender groups by calculating the total number of events attributable to socioeconomic disadvantage.

Results

Between 1997 and 2007, 317,564 people had a first AMI. When comparing the most deprived socioeconomic quintile with the most affluent quintile, the overall RR for AMI was 1.34 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.32 – 1.36) in men and 1.44 (95 % CI: 1.42 – 1.47) in women. The socioeconomic gradient decreased with age. Relative socioeconomic inequalities were most apparent in men under 35 years and in women under 65 years. The largest number of events attributable to socioeconomic inequalities was found in men aged 45–74 years and in women aged 65–84 years. The total proportion of AMIs that was attributable to socioeconomic inequalities in the Dutch population of 1997 to 2007 was 14 % in men and 18 % in women.

Conclusions

Neighbourhood socioeconomic inequalities were observed in AMI incidence in the Netherlands, but the magnitude across age-gender groups depended on whether inequality was expressed in relative or absolute terms. Relative socioeconomic inequalities were high in young persons and women, where the absolute burden of AMI was low. Absolute socioeconomic inequalities in AMI were highest in the age-gender groups of middle-aged men and elderly women, where the number of cases was largest.

Social burden and lifestyle in adults with congenital heart disease

We aimed to evaluate how the presence and severity of congenital heart disease (CHD) influence social life and lifestyle in adult patients. A random sample (n = 1,496) from the CONgenital CORvitia (n = 11,047), the Dutch national registry of adult patients with CHD, completed a questionnaire on educational attainment, employment and marital statuses, and lifestyle (response 76%). The Utrecht Health Project provided a large reference group (n = 6,810) of unaffected subjects. Logistic regression models were used for subgroup analyses and to adjust for age, gender, and socioeconomic status where appropriate. Of all patients 51.5% were men (median age 39 years, interquartile range 29 to 51) with mild (46%), moderate (44%), and severe (10%) CHD. Young (<40-year-old) patients with CHD were more likely to have achieved a lower education (adjusted odds ratios [ORs] 1.6 for men and 1.9 for women, p <0.05 for the 2 comparisons), significantly more often unemployed (adjusted ORs 5.9 and 2.0 for men and women, respectively), and less likely to be in a relationship compared to the reference group (adjusted ORs 8.5 for men and 4.5 for women). These poorer outcomes were seen in all severity groups. Overall, the CHD population smoked less (adjusted OR 0.5, p <0.05), had more sports participation (adjusted OR 1.2, p <0.05), and had less obesity (adjusted OR 0.7, p <0.05) than the reference group. In conclusion, there was a substantial social disadvantage in adult patients with CHD, which was seen in all severity groups and primarily in young men. In contrast, adults with CHD had healthier lifestyles compared to the reference group.

Coronary heart disease mortality trends in the Netherlands 1972-2007

BACKGROUND

Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality has steadily declined since the early 1970s in the Netherlands. However, in some Western countries the rate of decline in younger groups may be starting to plateau or even rise.

OBJECTIVE

To examine trends in age-specific CHD mortality rates among Dutch adults from 1972 to 2007, with a particular focus on recent trends for the younger age groups

METHODS

Data for all CHD deaths (1972-2007) in the Netherlands were grouped by year, sex, age. A joinpoint regression was fitted to each age-sex-group to detect points in time at which significant changes in the trends occur. For every time period, the linear slope of the trend, p value, observed number of deaths, CHD mortality rates and change in the CHD mortality rate were calculated.

RESULTS

Between 1972 and 2007, the age-adjusted CHD mortality rates decreased overall by 76% in both men and women. In men (35-54&emsp14;years), the change in CHD mortality rate in the period 1980-1993 was -0.53 but attenuated in period 1993-1999: -0.16. In women (35-54&emsp14;years) the decline likewise attenuated to -0.44 in period 1979-1989: and -0.05 in period 1989-2000. After 1999-2000, CHD mortality rate further declined in both men (period 1999-2007: -0.46) and women (period 2000-2007: -0.38).

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence from several Western countries suggests that among young adults (< 55 years), CHD mortality rates are levelling out. In this study, similar attenuation of the decline in CHD mortality among young adults in the Netherlands has been observed. Furthermore, this is the first study to observe a subsequent increase in the pace of decline after a period of flattening. In order to better explain these encouraging changes in CHD mortality rates, a detailed analysis of recent changes in cardiovascular risk factors and treatments is now urgently required.

The dynamics of mortality in follow-up time after an acute myocardial infarction, lower extremity arterial disease and ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND

Most studies providing data on survival in patients with atherosclerosis only address a single disease site: heart, brain or legs. Therefore, our objective was to determine risk of death after first hospital admission for atherosclerotic disease located at different sites.

METHODS

A nationwide cohort of patients hospitalized for the first time for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), peripheral arterial disease of the lower extremities (PAD) or ischemic stroke was identified through linkage of national registers. The mortality rate in AMI patients was compared to mortality rate in ischemic stroke and PAD patients by estimating relative risks (with 95%CI). Cox's proportional hazard models were used to estimate sex differences in risk of death.

RESULTS

Case fatality was high for ischemic stroke patients (men:21.0%, women:23.8%) and AMI patients (men:12.7%, women:20.9%) though low for PAD patients (men:2.4%, women:3.5%). The five-year risk of death was similar for male AMI compared to PAD patients (men: RR1.04; 95%CI 0.98-1.11). The risk of death for ischemic stroke patients remained the highest though the differences with AMI and PAD patients attenuated.

CONCLUSIONS

The dynamics of mortality over follow-up time clearly differ between atherosclerotic diseases, located at different vascular beds. The risk of death increases considerably over follow-up time for PAD patients, and 5 years after first hospital admission the differences in risks of death between AMI- and PAD patients and between AMI- and ischemic stroke patients have largely attenuated. Clinicians should be aware of these dynamics of mortality over follow-up time to provide optimal secondary prevention treatment.

Age- and gender-specific risk of death after first hospitalization for heart failure

Background

Hospitalization for heart failure (HF) is associated with high-in-hospital and short- and long-term post discharge mortality. Age and gender are important predictors of mortality in hospitalized HF patients. However, studies assessing short- and long-term risk of death stratified by age and gender are scarce.

Methods

A nationwide cohort was identified (ICD-9 codes 402, 428) and followed through linkage of national registries. The crude 28-day, 1-year and 5-year mortality was computed by age and gender. Cox regression models were used for each period to study sex differences adjusting for potential confounders (age and comorbidities).

Results

14,529 men, mean age 74 ± 11 years and 14,524 women, mean age 78 ± 11 years were identified. Mortality risk after admission for HF increased with age and the risk of death was higher among men than women. Hazard ratio's (men versus women and adjusted for age and co-morbidity) were 1.21 (95%CI 1.14 to 1.28), 1.26 (95% CI 1.21 to 1.31), and 1.28 (95%CI 1.24 to 1.31) for 28 days, 1 year and 5 years mortality, respectively.

Conclusions

This study clearly shows age- and gender differences in short- and long-term risk of death after first hospitalization for HF with men having higher short- and long-term risk of death than women. As our study population includes both men and women from all ages, the estimates we provide maybe a good reflection of 'daily practice' risk of death and therefore be valuable for clinicians and policymakers.