Functional capacity is a better predictor of coronary heart disease than depression or abnormal sleep duration in Black and White Americans

Objective: To assess whether functional capacity is a better predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) than depression or abnormal sleep duration. Methods: Adult civilians in the USA (n= 29,818, mean age 48 ± 18. years, range 18-85. years) were recruited by a cross-sectional household interview survey using multistage area probability sampling. Data on chronic conditions, estimated habitual sleep duration, functional capacity, depressed moods, and sociodemographic characteristics were obtained. Results: Thirty-five percent of participants reported reduced functional capacity. The CHD rates among White and Black Americans were 5.2% and 4%, respectively. Individuals with CHD were more likely to report extreme sleep durations (short sleep [≤5. h] or long sleep [≥9. h]; odds ratio [OR] 1.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38-1.97; P< 0.0001), less likely to be functionally active (anchored by the ability to walk one-quarter of a mile without assistance [OR 6.27, 95% CI 5.64-6.98; P< 0.0001]) and more likely to be depressed (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.60-1.99; P< 0.0001) than their counterparts. On multivariate regression analysis adjusting for sociodemographic factors and health characteristics, only functional capacity remained an independent predictor of CHD (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.42-2.31; P< 0.0001). Conclusion: Functional capacity was an independent predictor of CHD in the study population, whereas depression and sleep duration were not independent predictors.