Heart Failure, Anemia and Mortality in Mexican American Older Adults: Sex Differences

Objective: To examine sex differences in the relationship between comorbid anemia and heart failure (HF) with 13-year all-cause mortality in Mexican American older adults aged 75 years and older. Methods: Participants (N = 1,615) aged ≥75 years were from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (2004/05–2016). Participants were categorized by anemia status, HF status, and sex. Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality. Results: HF only was associated with higher mortality in males (HR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.12–1.78; p = 0.0039) and females (HR = 1.52, 95% CI = 1.24–1.85; p < 0.0001). Anemia only (HR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.06–2.23; p = 0.0248) and comorbid anemia and HF (HR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.00–3.03; p = 0.0484) were associated with higher mortality only in males. Conclusion: Anemia and HF were associated with greater mortality risk among older Mexican American males than females.