Multimorbidity and the risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in the general population: A meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies.
Arch Gerontol GeriatrJul 11, 2026 (epub)
Jun Shan, Xiaojie Xie, Rulan Yin et al.
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In 30 seconds
This meta-analysis evaluated the impact of multimorbidity on all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality across 69 cohort studies involving over 22 million individuals. The analysis found that multimorbidity significantly increases mortality risk, with a pooled hazard ratio of 2.015 for all-cause mortality in the general population. The study highlights the need for integrated care approaches.
Key findings
- Multimorbidity is associated with a 2.015 hazard ratio for all-cause mortality in the general population.
- Patients with cardiovascular multimorbidity have a hazard ratio of 2.275 for all-cause mortality.
- The hazard ratio for cardiovascular disease mortality in the general population is 2.773.
- Physical-mental multimorbidity presents the highest risk with a hazard ratio of 4.006 for all-cause mortality.
Why it matters
Understanding the relationship between multimorbidity and mortality is crucial for clinicians, as it emphasizes the need for comprehensive care strategies that address multiple health conditions simultaneously, rather than focusing on single diseases.