New Risk Assessment Score Improves Prognosis for Women with Early Signs of Heart Disease

The University of Florida has developed a new risk assessment score, called the WISE score, which appears to be more effective than traditional methods in predicting the likelihood of a woman with early signs of heart disease experiencing a bad outcome such as heart attack, stroke, or death. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability among U.S. women, and the traditional tools cardiologists use to assess cardiovascular risk in women with chest pain are inadequate. The WISE score takes into account 10 factors, including traditional ones such as age, smoking, and diabetes, as well as newer risk factors such as inflammatory markers and low levels of hemoglobin.

Key Takeaways:

• The WISE score, developed by University of Florida cardiologists, assesses the likelihood of a woman with early signs of heart disease experiencing a bad outcome such as heart attack, stroke, or death.
• The score takes into account 10 factors, including traditional ones such as age, smoking, and diabetes, as well as newer risk factors such as inflammatory markers and low levels of hemoglobin.
• The score was developed after analyzing data from 510 women enrolled in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation, a multicenter study of women with suspected reduced blood flow to the heart.
• The study found that 14% of the women died or were hospitalized for heart attack, heart failure, or stroke over an average of 3 years.
• The risk of adverse cardiovascular events increased with the number of risk factors present, with 20% of women with six risk predictors experiencing an adverse event, 36% with seven, and 53% with eight or more.
• The WISE score was found to be a better predictor of adverse outcomes than the traditional Framingham risk score, particularly in women with metabolic syndrome.
• The WISE score was validated in both white and minority populations.
• Further research is planned to test the utility of the WISE score in a larger group of women and to translate it into clinical practice.

Statistics:

• 14% of the 510 women studied died or were hospitalized for heart attack, heart failure, or stroke over an average of 3 years.
• 20% of women with six risk predictors experienced an adverse cardiovascular event.
• 36% of women with seven risk factors experienced an adverse event.
• 53% of women with eight or more risk factors experienced an adverse event.
• The Framingham risk score was found to be traditionally used for asymptomatic patients and did not take into account newer risk factors such as inflammatory markers.
• 10 factors are included in the WISE score.

Sources:

• "New risk assessment score designed to pinpoint the likelihood a woman with early signs of heart disease will eventually experience a bad outcome such as heart attack, stroke or death appears to determine a patient's prognosis more effectively than standard methods alone," University of Florida (UF) cardiologists reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2004 in New Orleans.
• University of Florida College of Medicine
• Heart Disease Weekly via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net
• American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2004