Mortality risks associated with sibling heart failure

Background The mortality in individuals with a family history of heart failure (HF) has not been determined. This nationwide sib-pair study aimed to determine mortality in individuals with a sibling affected with HF. Methods Sib-pairs were linked using the Swedish Multi-Generation Register, the Hospital Discharge Register and the Cause of Death Register for the period 1987–2012. Families with cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease were excluded. Mortality hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for siblings of individuals who had been diagnosed with HF compared with siblings of individuals unaffected by HF as the reference group. Similar analyses were made for spouses. HRs were determined for overall mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and death of unknown cause. Results Among siblings, the adjusted HR for overall mortality was 1.21 (95% CI 1.18–1.25). This risk remained (HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.15–1.23) also among subjects without HF themselves. The adjusted HRs for cardiovascular mortality and death of unknown cause were 1.39 (95% CI 1.32–1.45) and 1.58 (95% CI 1.29–1.95), respectively. The mortality risk associations with spousal HF were all minimal, with an overall mortality HR of 1.02 (1.01–1.02). Early sibling age of onset of HF