Elevated Blood Malondialdehyde Level Contributed to a High Stroke Risk in a Chinese Elderly Population from Rural Areas

Abstract Background: Individuals living in rural areas had higher incidence rate for stroke than their urban counterparts in China. However, few studies investigated on the association between blood malondialdehyde (MDA), an end product of lipid oxidation caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS), and stroke risk in rural population. Aim: We aimed to investigate whether blood MDA level contributes to a higher stroke risk in a Chinese elderly population from rural areas. Methods: Data from 2011-2012 of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), a national cohort of older adults in China were analyzed. Smooth curve and multivariable correction analysis were used to evaluate the association between blood MDA level and stroke risk in the elderly populations from rural and urban areas respectively. Results: The median age of all inluded participants (N=1598) was 84 years. The results of smooth curve model revealed a gradual upward trend on association of blood MDA levels with stroke risk in rural participants but not in urban participants. Similarly, the conditional logistic regression analysis suggested a significant association MDA levels with stroke risk in rural participants but not in urban participants after adjustments of related confounding factors (age, gender, current smoker, current drinker, current exercise, BMI and cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, heart disease, atrial fibrillation and diabetes) were made. Conclusion: Among the elderly population in China, elevated blood MDA levels were associated with increased stroke risk in rural participants but not in urban participants.