Prevention & lipidsCohort study
Sex differences in cardiovascular disease risk and the role of biological aging pace
- Prospective cohort study
- population-based
- UK Biobank
Authors' conclusion
Our findings reveal that the biological aging pace might partially explain sex disparities in CVD risk
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants
- Participants
- 371,032 participants
- Exposure
- Males vs females
- Outcome
- CVD risk by sex and proportion explained by biological aging pace (PhenoAgeAccel, telomere length)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CVD risk by sex and share explained by biological aging pace (PhenoAgeAccel)
- Any cardiovascular disease (CVD), male vs female participants, HR
- 1.66 (1.54-1.80) (95% CI)
- AF, male vs female participants, HR
- 1.78 (1.73-1.83) (95% CI)
- CHD, male vs female participants, HR
- 2.11 (2.05-2.18) (95% CI)
- HF, male vs female participants, HR
- 1.72 (1.65-1.80) (95% CI)
- Stroke, male vs female participants, HR
- 1.44 (1.38-1.51) (95% CI)
- Females' longer time to CVD than males
- 0.71-2.90 years
- Males' faster biological aging pace in PhenoAgeAccel than females
- 1.02 years (95% CI 0.99-1.06)
- Share of male-associated any CVD explained by sex disparities in PhenoAgeAccel
- 65.0%
- Share of male-associated AF explained
- 64.7%
- Share of male-associated CHD explained
- 68.2%
- Share of male-associated HF explained
- 64.4%
- Share of male-associated stroke explained
- 60.4%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Chronological age
| Outcome | difference (years) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| PhenoAgeAccel (biological aging pace) · faster in males | 1.02 (0.99–1.06) | |
| −0.500.511.5Difference, years (linear scale) |
- PhenoAgeAccel (biological aging pace) — Explained by unhealthy lifestyles
- 17.1%
- PhenoAgeAccel (biological aging pace) — Explained by prevalent chronic diseases
- 8.6%
- PhenoAgeAccel (biological aging pace) — Explained by metabolic factors
- 6.5%
Time to CVD
- Females had longer time to CVD than males
- 0.71-2.90 years
Telomere length; adjustment for sex hormones
- Similar findings
Original publication
Sex differences in cardiovascular disease risk and the role of biological aging pace. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 11 December 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf726
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it