Key result
Each 5-unit BMI increase is linked to ~16% higher sudden cardiac death risk.
Why the study?
Does increasing adiposity (BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference) increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in the general population?
Meta-Analysis (n=406,079)
Does increasing adiposity (BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference) increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in the general population?
Increasing BMI and waist-to-hip ratio are associated with a significantly increased risk of sudden cardiac death, with a J-shaped association for BMI where the lowest risk is observed in the normal weight range.
Higher BMI raises sudden cardiac death risk dose-dependently; extends prospective cohort evidence while leaving causality and intervention effects open.
= 0%, n = 2) per 10 cm increase in waist circumference. The heterogeneity in the analysis of BMI and sudden cardiac death persisted across most subgroup analyses. The association was stronger among studies with longer follow-up compared to short follow-up and was observed in the European and American studies, but not in the Asian studies. There was a J-shaped association between BMI and sudden cardiac death and the lowest risk was observed in the normal weight range, however, the increased risk with a low BMI was attenuated among studies with a longer duration of follow-up. This meta-analysis suggest an increased risk of sudden cardiac death with increasing BMI and waist-to-hip ratio, however, further studies with stratification for smoking status are needed of waist circumference, weight changes and adiposity at younger ages.
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Aune et al. (2018) conducted a meta-analysis in Sudden cardiac death (n=406,079). Body mass index vs. Lower body mass index was evaluated on Sudden cardiac death (RR 1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.28). A 5-unit increment in body mass index significantly increased the risk of sudden cardiac death by 16% (RR 1.16) in a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies.
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