Key result
Cardiovascular screening yielded a 5% overall mortality risk reduction in DANCAVAS I (P=0.06) and a 6% reduction in DANCAVAS II (P=0.16), which some experts argue indicates clinical benefit.
Why the study?
Does cardiovascular screening reduce overall mortality in men aged 60-69 years?
Does cardiovascular screening reduce overall mortality in men aged 60-69 years?
Effect estimate: 6% risk reduction
p-value: p=.16
This commentary highlights the debate over interpreting the mixed mortality results of the DANCAVAS cardiovascular screening trials.
This commentary refers to ‘Outcomes of cardiovascular screening in men aged 60–64 years: the DANCAVAS II trial’, by J. S. Lindholt et al., https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf704 and the discussion piece ‘Misrepresentation of results from the DANCAVAS II trial’, by K. J. Jørgensen et al., https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf1110. Ever since the DANCAVAS I1 and recently DANCAVAS II2 trials were published, discussions of how to interpret their mixed results with risks of misrepresentation have occurred. It can be classified into three major groups: The ‘Promising’ Trial View: we and other experts argue that the near-miss on the 5% overall mortality risk reduction as primary endpoint in DANCAVAS I (P = .06), along with positive results in specific outcomes like stroke reduction and in certain subgroups (e.g. a significant mortality reduction in the 65–69 age group in the DANCAVAS 1 trial, and a 6% overall mortality risk reduction as primary endpoint in DANCAVAS II (P = .16) indicate clinically important benefits.
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Lindholt et al. (2025) conducted an editorial in Cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular screening was evaluated on Overall mortality (6% risk reduction, p=.16). Cardiovascular screening yielded a 5% overall mortality risk reduction in DANCAVAS I (P=0.06) and a 6% reduction in DANCAVAS II (P=0.16), which some experts argue indicates clinical benefit.
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