ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PEAK METABOLIC WORKLOAD (METS) AND CARDIOVASCULAR MORBIDITY IN A LOW SOCIOECONOMIC POPULATION: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Abstract

Therapeutic Area: CVD Prevention – Primary and Secondary Background: The non-linear correlation between peak metabolic workload and cardiovascular disease incidence is under scrutiny in this study, particularly within the low socioeconomic residents of South Bronx. Methods: A retrospective examination of 190 patients subjected to cardiac graded treadmill stress testing and MET level evaluation between January 2007 and July 2023 was performed. Patients with incomplete testing, known heart disease, prior strokes, peripheral artery disease, severe systemic conditions, and pregnancy were excluded. Participants were segregated into low (8) MET groups. The primary outcome was cardiovascular morbidity incidence. Data analysis was controlled for age, sex, cardiac disease family history, BMI, smoking, and DM, HTN, and HLD histories. Results: Of the 190 participants, (47.9% females, 52.1% males, mean age 53 ± 14) 20 (11%) had at least one CV morbidity during the study period. Adjusted models demonstrated that patients with MET >5 had 0.14 lower odds of a cardiovascular event than MET 5-8 patients (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.20-3.82), whereas METS >8 patients had 1.8 times higher odds (OR 1.8, CI 95% 0.51-6.46). Conclusions: Among the low-income population, our findings challenge previous studies, suggesting a linear relationship between higher METs and increased cardiovascular events. This warrants further investigation to validate our findings.