Need another reason to work out? Cardiorespiratory fitness is "strongly and inversely associated" with coronary heart disease mortality in men

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22776869

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012 Jul 6. [Epub ahead of print]

Cardiorespiratory Fitness, LDL Cholesterol, and Coronary Heart Disease Mortality in Men.

Farrell SW, Finley CE, Grundy SM.

Source

1The Cooper Institute, Dallas TX 2Center for Human Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:

There are no published data regarding the joint association of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) concentration with subsequent coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in men.

METHODS:

40,718 healthy men received a comprehensive baseline clinical exam between 1971 and 2006. CRF was determined from a maximal treadmill exercise test. Participants were divided into categories of low (Quintile 1), moderate (Quintiles 2-3), and high (Quintiles 4-5) CRF by age group, as well as by Adult Treatment Panel-III-defined LDL categories. Hazard ratios for CHD mortality were computed with Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS:

A total of 557 deaths due to CHD occurred during 16.7 ± 9.0 years (681,731 man-years) of follow-up. Following adjustment for age, exam year, smoking status, family history, and body mass index, a significant positive trend in CHD mortality was shown across decreasing categories of CRF. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence interval were 1.0 (referent), 1.18 (0.94-1.47), and 2.10 (1.65-2.67) for high, moderate, and low fit groups respectively, P trend < 0.0001. Adjusted hazard ratios were significantly higher across increasing LDL categories: 1.0 (referent), 1.30 (0.87-1.95), 1.54 (1.04-2.28), 2.16 (1.45-3.21), and 2.02 (1.31-3.13) respectively, P trend < 0.0001. When grouped by CRF category as well as by LDL category, there was a significant positive trend (P < 0.02) in adjusted mortality across decreasing categories of CRF within each LDL category.

CONCLUSION:

CRF is strongly and inversely associated with CHD mortality in men. Compared to men with low CRF, at a moderate to high level of CRF, the risk of mortality within each LDL category is significantly attenuated. This study suggests that measurement of CRF should be considered for routine cardiovascular risk assessment and risk management.