Multivariate prediction of coronary heart disease during 8.5 year follow-up in the Western Collaborative Group Study.

The Western Collaborative Group Study is a prospective study of 3,154 employed men aged 39 to 59 years. Ischemic heart disease occurred in 257 subjects during 8.5 years of follow-up. Risk of coronary heart disease was studied with use of the multiple logistic risk model. The incidence of coronary heart disease had a highly significant association with serum cholesterol level, behavior pattern, cigarette smoking and systolic blood pressure in younger (39 to 49 years) and older (50 to 59 years) men and also with age and corneal arcus in the younger group. Type A behavior pattern was strongly related to the incidence of coronary disease in both age groups, independent of interrelations of behavior patterns with any other risk factor.