Aortic, coronary, and myocardial lesions in relation to various factors.

The relative extent of raised and calcified coronary aortic lesions, prevalence of coronary stenosis and of fresh and old myocardial infarction, and mean heart weight were expressed on a continuous scale for 4 disease groups (coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction/haemorrhage, hypertension/diabetes, cancer). Within these groups the relative position for each of the lesions was calculated by subgroups of disease in order to show the elevating or depressing effect of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and combinations of disease. The strength of association between 33 factors (town 5, disease 24, obesity, heart weight, age, and sex) and the lesions was calculated. An analysis of variance was carried out and the proportion of the variance of the different lesions accounted for by town, disease, etc., is shown. The extent of raised aortic lesions is strongly associated with age and hypertension. It is positively associated with coronary heart disease and inversely associated with cancer. Town factors have a small positive association which is larger than that due to obesity. 33 factors taken together account for 50% of the variance. Age alone accounts for 37% and sex for only 0.3%. The extent of calcified aortic lesion is strongly associated with age, town, hypertension, coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. It is inversely associated with cancer, more strongly in cancer of the bronchus and the liver than in other cancers. It is inversely associated with obesity. 33 factors together account for 30% of the variance and age alone accounts for about 13%. The extent of raised coronary lesions is strongly associated with age, coronary heart disease, sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obesity. It is inversely associated with cancer, more strongly in cancer of the prostate and the liver than in other cancers. Town factors have a small association. 33 factors taken together account for about 43% of the variance. Age alone accounts for 25%. The extent of calcified coronary lesions is associated with coronary heart disease and age. There is a low association with hypertension and diabetes, an inverse association with cancer, and a low inverse association with obesity. 33 factors together account for 20% of the variance. Coronary heart disease alone accounts for 12% and age alone accounts for 8%. The prevalence of coronary stenosis is strongly associated with coronary heart disease, age, and sex. There is a small association with town factors, obesity, and hypertension, and an inverse association with cancer. All the factors together account for about 30% of the variance. Coronary heart disease alone accounts for 23% and age 10%.