Hedberg P, Ohrvik J, Lönnberg I, Nilsson G.
This study investigated the prognostic value of SBP response during exercise testing in 75-year-olds. 382 75-year-old men and women took part. The prognostic value of SBP change from rest to peak exercise during a symptom-limited cycle test was evaluated for the endpoints all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality during long-term follow-up. After a median follow-up of 10.6 years, 140 (37%) of the participants had died, 64 (17%) from cardiovascular causes. The all-cause mortalities for exercise SBP changes of < or =30 mm Hg, 31-55 mm Hg and >55 mm Hg were 5.1, 4.2 and 2.6 per 100 person-years, respectively. For every 10 mm Hg increase in SBP during exercise the relative hazard for all-cause mortality was reduced by 13% and for cardiovascular mortality by 26% after adjustment for sex, smoking, waist circumference, total/HDL cholesterol ratio, prevalent ischaemic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular medication, pre-exercise SBP, exercise capacity, resting left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular mass index.
The findings suggest that an augmented SBP response during exercise is associated with an improved long-term survival among community-living 75-year-old individuals.
Heart, 2009, 95(13):1072-8.