Association between cardiovascular health and pelvic inflammatory disease: Analyses of the NHANES 2015 to 2018

Abstract

While the link between female reproductive function and cardiovascular health (CVH) is well-established, the association between pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and CVH remains largely unexplored. This study, therefore, sets out to fill this gap in knowledge by investigating the potential relationship between PID and CVH. To ensure the reliability and validity of our findings, data for this cross-sectional study were meticulously collected from the 2015–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After applying stringent exclusion criteria, a total of 2442 women were included in the study. The Life Essential 8 (LE8) scoring system, a robust tool developed by the American Heart Association (AHA), was employed to assess the CVH. Logistic regression with multiple variables and smooth curve fitting were utilized to analyze the association. Subgroup and interaction analyses were performed to determine the strength of this association across different demographic groups. The study included 2442 women, with an average CVH score of 66.29 ± 16.27. After accounting for all covariates, each unit increase in CVH score was associated with 2% lower odds of PID prevalence (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97–0.99). Notably, participants with high CVH had a striking 71% lower odds of PID prevalence compared to those with low CVH. Stratified analyses further revealed a consistent inverse association between CVH score and PID across various subgroups, underscoring the robustness of our findings. The research has uncovered a significant inverse association between CVH and PID. This suggests that improving the CVH level could be a promising strategy for reducing the odds of PID.