A synergistic impact of body mass index and gamma gap on heart failure and mortality rate among older patients with coronary artery disease: a prospective study with 10-year follow-up.

Purpose: This prospective study with 10-year follow-up aimed to analyze potential impact of body mass index (BMI) and gamma gap on heart failure and mortality rate in older patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: There were 987 consecutive older patients with CAD included and divided into four groups according to BMI and gamma gap levels.

Results: Median age was 86 years. The highest proportion of heart failure (46.2%) and the highest mortality rate (84.4%) was observed in patients with low BMI and high gamma gap, whereas the lowest proportion of heart failure (18.9%) and the lowest mortality rate (62.9%) was observed in those with high BMI and low gamma gap. After full adjustment in multivariate Logistic regression analysis, heart failure was most common in patients with low BMI and high gamma gap compared with those with high BMI and low gamma gap (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.79-4.48, P < 0.05). Meanwhile, multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that mortality rate was the highest in those with low BMI and high gamma gap compared with patients with high BMI and low gamma gap (HR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.32-2.07, P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The combination of low BMI and high gamma gap could further promote heart failure and increase mortality rate in older patients with CAD. Future studies should explore the underlying mechanisms linking low BMI, high gamma gap, and mortality rate, as well as the potential benefits of nutritional and immunological interventions to improve health prognosis in older patients with CAD.