Eastern European IHD mortality-to-prevalence disparities vary by sex

Researchers analysed sex-specific Global Burden of Disease 2023 estimates for seven Eastern European countries to assess disparities in ischaemic heart disease (IHD) outcomes. They combined age-standardized mortality and prevalence rates into mortality-to-prevalence ratios (MPRs), used as a population-level case-fatality measure. Risk factor-attributable mortality was also normalized to prevalence. Estonia, with the lowest MPRs—3.00% in men and 1.77% in women—served as the benchmark.

In 2011, women in five of six comparator countries had significantly higher MPRs than Estonian women, compared with men in three countries. By 2023, female MPRs exceeded the Estonian benchmark in all six countries (Z = 3.27–5.14). Among men, significant excesses occurred in Latvia, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Belarus, but not Lithuania or the Republic of Moldova. Female-specific benchmark signals involved high fasting plasma glucose in Belarus and Moldova, and high systolic blood pressure in Lithuania, Moldova and the Russian Federation.

The findings highlight sex-specific geographic inequalities and associations with modifiable cardiometabolic risks. However, MPRs are derived population measures, not directly observed individual survival or case fatality. A female disadvantage relative to the sex-specific Estonian benchmark does not imply higher absolute mortality in women than men. Only the abstract was available, limiting assessment of methods and uncertainty.