Gradient Relationship between Increased Mean Corpuscular Volume and Mortality Associated with Cerebral Ischemic Stroke and Ischemic Heart Disease: A Longitudinal Study on 66,294 Taiwanese

The gradient relationship between mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mortality due to ischemic vascular disease has not been researched using a large-scale population-based study. This study evaluated the association between MCV and death attributable to cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and cardiovascular disease (CAD) in a large population- and community-based Taiwanese cohort. A longitudinal study with a 9-year follow-up was conducted to evaluate individuals aged 20 years or older who had participated in the Keelung (the northernmost city in Taiwan) community-based integrated screening (abbreviated as KCIS) program since September 1999. The mortality rates associated with CVD and CAD were classified across a range of different MCV levels. Increased MCV levels were associated with an increased risk of CVD/CAD-related death (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.42, trend test P = 0.0119). Marginally statistically significant associations were noted for specific deaths from ischemic heart disease (aHR = 1.44, trend test P = 0.0992) and cerebral ischemic stroke (aHR = 1.66, trend test P = 0.0667), respectively, but no significant gradient relationship was noted for death from cerebral hemorrhage stroke (aHR = 1.23, trend test, P = 0.6278). A gradient relationship between baseline MCV level and CVD/CAD-related death was noted, but whether such gradient relationships existed for two specific deaths and how these relationships may be confounded by extraneous factors that were not considered here should be investigated in the future.