Heart Rate and Risk of Cancer Death in Healthy Men
2011

Heart Rate and Cancer Death Risk in Healthy Men

Sample size: 6101 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Jouven Xavier, Escolano Sylvie, Celermajer David, Empana Jean-Philippe, Bingham Annie, Hermine Olivier, Desnos Michel, Perier Marie-Cécile, Marijon Eloi, Ducimetière Pierre

Primary Institution: INSERM PARCC University Paris Descartes

Hypothesis

Is there a relationship between heart rate and the risk of cancer death in healthy men?

Conclusion

Higher resting heart rates and poor heart rate responses during exercise are associated with an increased risk of cancer mortality in men.

Supporting Evidence

  • Men with the highest resting heart rates had a 2.4 times higher risk of cancer death compared to those with the lowest.
  • Significant relationships were found between heart rate parameters and cancer deaths after adjusting for age and tobacco use.
  • Poor heart rate recovery after exercise was also linked to increased cancer mortality.

Takeaway

If your heart beats faster when you're resting or not recovering well after exercise, it might mean you're at a higher risk of getting cancer when you grow up.

Methodology

The study followed 6101 healthy men aged 42 to 53 over 25 years, measuring heart rate during exercise and assessing cancer mortality.

Potential Biases

Self-reporting may introduce bias in tobacco and alcohol consumption data.

Limitations

The study only included men, relied on self-reported data for tobacco and alcohol consumption, and did not account for some cancer risk factors.

Participant Demographics

Asymptomatic French working men aged 42 to 53 years.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.0001

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 1.9–2.9

Statistical Significance

p<0.0001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0021310

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication