Trends and Disparities in Cardiovascular Disease Burden Among Leukemia Related Deaths in the United States (1999–2020): A CDC WONDER Disproportionality Analysis

BACKGROUND : The presence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in patients with leukemia leads to worse clinical outcomes, but the disparities in this issue are still not fully examined. This research investigates differences in the CVD burden related to leukemia deaths across various demographic and geographic contexts using CDC WONDER data from 1999 to 2020. METHODOLOGY : A disproportionality analysis was conducted to calculate reporting odds ratio (ROR) of CVD burden in leukemia patients compared to all-cause deaths across age groups 15–85 years. A ROR greater than 1 indicated a higher burden of CVD in cancer patients. Average Annual Percentage Changes (AAPCs) were calculated to evaluate trends, with p-values determining significance. RESULTS : The highest ROR was found in the 15–24 age cohort (2.565), decreasing with age but rising slightly in older adults (85+: 0.56). The 55–64 age group experienced the most significant annual increase (AAPC: 2.02). Males consistently showed higher RORs compared to females, however, the most notable rise was in middle-aged females (AAPC: 1.51). Among racial groups, young Hispanics had the highest ROR (2.637), whereas NH Whites (55–64 AG) experienced the largest AAPC (1.43). Midwest had the lowest ROR but also exhibited the steepest regional increase (45–54: 1.78). Urban regions reported higher RORs than rural areas, with medical facilities displaying the highest RORs. CONCLUSION : These results highlight the importance of developing focused cardiovascular care strategies, especially for high-risk groups such as younger individuals, males, Hispanics, and those residing in urban areas. Public health initiatives should target these disparities to enhance outcomes for patients with leukemia.