Association of Resting Heart Rate Trajectories With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Context Longitudinal patterns of resting heart rate (RHR) in patients with diabetes mellitus and their association with health outcomes are not well-characterized. Objective We sought to explore the RHR trajectories in patients with diabetes mellitus and their association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. Design The Kailuan Study is a prospective cohort study. Participants underwent health examinations biennially starting in 2006 and were followed until December 31, 2020. Setting General community. Participants A total of 8218 diabetic participants who attended at least 3 of the examinations conducted in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012 were included. Main outcome measures CVD and all-cause mortality. Results We identified 4 RHR trajectories in participants with diabetes mellitus between 2006 and 2012: low-stable (range, 66.83-64.91 beats/min; n = 1705), moderate-stable (range, 76.30-76.95 beats/min; n = 5437), high-decreasing (mean decreased from 92.14 to 85.60 beats/min; n = 862), and high-increasing (mean increased from 84.03 to 111.62 beats/min; n = 214). During an average follow-up of 7.25 years, 977 cases of CVD and 1162 deaths were identified. Compared with the low-stable trajectory, adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD were 1.48 (95% CI, 1.02-2.14; P = .04) for the high-increasing trajectory, adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 1.34 (95% CI, 1.14-1.58; P < .01) for the moderate-stable trajectory, 1.68 (95% CI, 1.35-2.10; P < .01) for the high-decreasing trajectory, and 2.47 (95% CI, 1.85-3.31; P < .01) for the high-increasing trajectory. Conclusions RHR trajectories were associated with the subsequent risks of CVD and all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus.