title: Echocardiographic screening of the general population and long-term survival: a randomized clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identification of structural heart disease in asymptomatic individuals could allow early disease-modifying treatment.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether echocardiographic screening in the general population improves long-term survival or reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 6861 middle-aged participants from the population-based Tromsø Study in Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were randomly allocated to an echocardiographic screening group (n = 3272) or a control group (n = 3589).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the as-treated approach, the data were analyzed for mortality and incidence of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 15 follow-up years, 880 persons (26.9%) in the screening group and 989 persons (27.6%) in the control group died (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.89-1.06). No significant differences between the groups were observed in the secondary outcome measures (sudden death, mortality from any heart disease, or incidence of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Echocardiographic screening for structural and valvular heart disease in the general population provided no benefit for mortality or for the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Haakon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lindekleiv
authors.forename: Maja-Lisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Løchen
authors.forename: Ellisiv B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Mathiesen
authors.forename: Inger
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Njølstad
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilsgaard
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schirmer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors