A heart shape measure was linked to stroke and heart failure risk
Higher values were linked to lower stroke risk (hazard ratio 0.81) but higher heart failure risk (1.28) over a median 4.4 years.
Limit: The median follow-up was only 4.4 years
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers analyzed heart imaging in 44,075 UK Biobank participants (median age 65 years, 52% female) in an observational cohort study with a median follow-up of 4.4 years. They also evaluated 8,613 healthy adults (median age 61 years, 52% female, 81% White) in an international databank. The researchers examined the remodeling index, a measure of the shape of the heart’s main pumping chamber.
In the healthy group, the index varied by age, sex, and ethnicity. In UK Biobank, a higher index was associated with lower stroke risk but higher heart failure risk. Hazard ratios, which compare rates over time, were 0.81 and 1.28, respectively. In participants without high blood pressure, a higher index was linked to lower stroke and heart attack risks. In those with high blood pressure, a higher index was associated with higher heart failure risk.
Why it matters
The study addressed how to interpret a heart-shape measure that varies with age. The researchers suggested that the index could complement existing measures when assessing cardiovascular risk.
Caveats
This observational study cannot determine whether heart shape causes these outcomes. The cohorts had median ages of 61 and 65 years, and the healthy reference group was 81% White.
The paper
Queen Mary University of London
ESC Congress 2026 Abstract, Oct 26, 2026
Presented at ESC Congress 2026
