title: The Prognostic Value of Family History for the Estimation of Cardiovascular Mortality Risk in Men: Results from a Long-Term Cohort Study in Lithuania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the additional prognostic value of family history for the estimation of cardiovascular (CVD) mortality risk in middle-aged urban Lithuanian men.
  
  
  METHODS
  The association between family history of CVD and the risk of CVD mortality was examined in a population-based cohort of 6,098 men enrolled during 1972-1974 and 1976-1980 in Kaunas, Lithuania. After up to 40 years of follow-up, 2,272 deaths from CVD and 1,482 deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) were identified. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for CVD and CHD mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment for traditional CVD risk factors, the HR for CVD mortality was 1.24 (95% CI 1.09-1.42) and for CHD mortality 1.20 (1.02-1.42) in men with first-degree relatives having a history of myocardial infarction (MI), compared to men without positive family history. A significant effect on the risk of CVD and CHD mortality was also observed for the family history of sudden cardiac death and any CVD. Addition of family history of MI, sudden death, and any CVD to traditional CVD risk factors demonstrated modest improvement in the performance of Cox models for CVD and CHD mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family history of CVD is associated with a risk of CVD and CHD mortality significantly and independently of other risk factors in a middle-aged male population. Addition of family history to traditional CVD risk factors improves the prediction of CVD mortality and could be used for identification of high-risk individuals.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.|Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Abdonas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamosiunas
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.|Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Ricardas
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radisauskas
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Jurate
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klumbiene
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Gailute
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bernotiene
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petkeviciene
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.|Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luksiene
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Virviciute
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.|Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Vilija
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Malinauskiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vikhireva
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Public Health, Academy of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: Vilius
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grabauskas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors