BMJ  2004;328 (10 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7444.0-d

Clustering of common risk factors does not explain risk of CHD

Clustering of the risk factors for ischaemic heart disease that are used in the Framingham risk score is similar among women of different social groups, and clustering does not explain the differing risk of coronary artery disease between social classes. Ebrahim and colleagues (p 861) analysed data on 2936 women from the British women's heart and health study. They found that women from a manual social class in childhood had more risk factors for coronary heart disease, and that more women had no risk factors, or three or four, risk factors than expected, irrespective of social class—but there was no difference in clustering among all social classes. Including childhood social class in risk scoring would identify women in whom risk is high and who may benefit more from prevention, say the authors.

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Clustering of risk factors and social class in childhood and adulthood in British women's heart and health study: cross sectional analysis

Shah Ebrahim, David Montaner, and Debbie A Lawlor
BMJ 2004 328: 861. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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