Exploring sex disparities in cardiovascular disease risk factors using principal component analysis and latent class analysis techniques

BACKGROUND: This study used machine learning techniques to evaluate cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVD) and the relationship between sex and these risk factors. The objective was pursued in the context of CVD being a major global cause of death and the need for accurate identification of risk factors for timely diagnosis and improved patient outcomes. The researchers conducted a literature review to address previous studies' limitations in using machine learning to assess CVD risk factors. METHODS: This study analyzed data from 1024 patients to identify the significant CVD risk factors based on sex. The data comprising 13 features, such as demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors, were obtained from the UCI repository and preprocessed to eliminate missing information. The analysis was performed using principal component analysis (PCA) and latent class analysis (LCA) to determine the major CVD risk factors and to identify any homogeneous subgroups between male and female patients. Data analysis was performed using XLSTAT Software. This software provides a comprehensive suite of tools for Data Analysis, Machine Learning, and Statistical Solutions for MS Excel. RESULTS: This study showed significant sex differences in CVD risk factors. 8 out of 13 risk factors affecting male and female patients found that males and females share 4 of the eight risk factors. Identified latent profiles of CVD patients, suggesting the presence of subgroups among CVD patients. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of sex differences on CVD risk factors. Moreover, they have important implications for healthcare professionals, who can use this information to develop individualized prevention and treatment plans. The results highlight the need for further research to elucidate these disparities better and develop more effective CVD prevention measures. CONCLUSIONS: The study explored the sex differences in the CVD risk factors and the presence of subgroups among CVD patients using ML techniques. The results revealed sex-specific differences in risk factors and the existence of subgroups among CVD patients, thus providing essential insights for personalized prevention and treatment plans. Hence, further research is necessary to understand these disparities better and improve CVD prevention.