HEIGHT, LUNG-FUNCTION, AND MORTALITY FROM CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE AMONG THE ELDERLY

The relation between height and death from cardiovascular disease was studied in a cohort of 3,809 persons aged 65 years or older (85% of el igible individuals) enrolled in a population survey in 1982-1983 in Ea st Boston, Massachusetts. Self-reported height and weight were obtaine d, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was measured using a mini-Wrig ht peak flow meter (Armstrong Industries, North Brook, Illinois). Vita l status and cause of death were obtained through 1988. The median hei ght was 62 inches in women and 66 inches in men. After adjustment for age, body mass index, and cigarette smoking, the risk of cardiovascula r death decreased with quintile of height in women, with relative risk s of 1.65, 1.16, 1.15, 0.76, and 1.00 over successive quintiles, with the tallest as the referent (p trend = 0.015). The trend in men was no t as strong, with relative risks of 1.22, 0.77, 0.90, 0.98, and 1.00 f rom the shortest to the tallest quintiles (not significant). In both m en and women, the strongest association was found with height and heig ht squared, indicating a curvilinear relation. Height remained a predi ctor in women after adjustment for PEFR and other risk factors. These data suggest that a relation between height and cardiovascular death t hat is not mediated by lung function exists in the elderly, at least a mong women.