Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease, and Their Associations With Risk Factors in Southeast Asia: A PURE Substudy

BACKGROUND: The drivers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality may differ around the world. Regional-level prospective data can help guide policies to reduce CVD and all-cause mortality.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the incidence of CVD and mortality in Malaysia and the Philippines and estimated the population-level risks attributable to common risk factors for each outcome.

METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 20,272 participants from Malaysia and the Philippines. The mean follow-up was 8.2 years. The incidences of CVD and mortality rates were calculated for the overall cohort and in key subgroups. For each outcome, population-attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated to compare risks associated with 12 modifiable risk factors.

RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 51.8 years (59% women). Leading causes of mortality were CVD (37.9%) and cancer (12.4%). The incidence of CVD (per 1,000 person-years) was higher in the Philippines (11.0) than Malaysia (8.3), and CVD contributed to a higher proportion of deaths in the Philippines (58% vs 36%). By contrast, all-cause mortality rates were higher in Malaysia (14.1) than in the Philippines (10.9). Approximately 78% of the PAF for CVD and 68% of the PAF for all-cause mortality were attributable to 12 modifiable risk factors. For CVD, the largest PAF was from hypertension (24.2%), whereas for all-cause mortality, the largest PAF was from low education (18.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: CVD and cancer account for one-half of adult mortality in Malaysia and the Philippines. Hypertension was the largest population driver of CVD, whereas low education was associated with the largest burden of overall mortality.