ASSOCIATION OF FIBRINOGEN AND COAGULATION-FACTOR-VII AND COAGULATION-FACTOR-VIII WITH CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN THE ELDERLY - THE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH STUDY

The cross-sectional correlates of three hemostatic factors-fibrinogen, factor VII, and factor VIII-were examined in the Cardiovascular Healt h Study, a population-based cohort study of 5,201 subjects over age 65 years. Subjects were recruited in 1989-1990 in Forsyth County, North Carolina; Sacramento County, California; Washington County, Maryland; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In multivariate linear regression models , cardiac risk factors significantly associated with fibrinogen were c urrent smoking, race, lipids, and white blood count. In women, alcohol use, obesity, physical activity, and insulin level were also signific ant, while in men hypertension was correlated. The significant correla tes of factor VII were lipids and white blood count in men and estroge n use, alcohol use, race, lipids, insulin level, white blood count, an d obesity in women. The independent correlates of factor VIII were ins ulin, glucose, and race in both sexes; low density lipoprotein cholest erol, white blood count, and diuretic use in men; and alcohol use in w omen. In multivariate models, factors known to be modifiable risk fact ors for cardiovascular disease accounted for more of the population va riance of these hemostatic factors in women than in men, especially fo r factor VII. The hemostatic factors may mediate some effects of risk factors on disease, and this should be considered in longitudinal stud ies.