Mapping the Evidence on Cardiovascular Disease Risk among Individuals Experiencing Disability: A Scoping Review.

The review did not combine results, so it cannot say how much cardiovascular risk is raised, or even whether it is raised, for any specific condition. Most included studies used administrative databases, which lack information on physical activity, diet, smoking, medication use and functional status, so the reasons behind any risk cannot be explored. Definitions of disabilities varied widely, from simple diagnostic codes to validated criteria, and many studies accepted single codes without verification, which could misclassify who had the condition. The evidence is heavily concentrated in the US and East Asia, with almost none from other regions, so findings may not apply to other health systems or populations. Age and sex were often reported inconsistently, and matching usually controlled only for age and sex, not for other conditions or healthcare use. Some conditions like cerebral palsy, spina bifida and polio were studied in only one or a few studies, so there is very little evidence for them.

This review does not report its own funding or conflicts of interest. The included studies were funded by a mix of government agencies, foundations and pharmaceutical companies, and the authors note that such funding heterogeneity may influence research focus, sample availability and methodological rigor.

Do not conclude from this review that any specific disability raises cardiovascular risk by a certain amount. The authors did not combine results, and they state the evidence is too heterogeneous to draw firm conclusions about the size of any association.