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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Aug 18.
Published in final edited form as: J Am Geriatr Soc. 2016 Jun 16;64(8):1668–1673. doi: 10.1111/jgs.14201

Appendix Table.

Comparison of 5-class and 6-class Models Estimated by Latent Class Analysis



Latent Classes		 Description of Class,
Compared to Overall
Sample		 5-class Model
BICi=151950		 6-class Model
BIC=151937
N Number of
Conditions
(Mean ±
SDa)		 N Number of
Conditions
(Mean ±
SD)
Minimal Disease Prevalence of all 13
conditions is below
sample prevalence		 4625 1.1±0.8 4613 1.1±0.8
Non-Vascular Higher prevalence of
cancer, psychiatric
disorders, osteoporosis,
COPDb, arthritis. (In 6-
class model, also higher
arrhythmia).		 3334 3.5±1.0 3509 3.5±1.0
Vascular Higher prevalence of
HTNc, DMd, stroke. (In 5-
class model, also higher
CHDe)		 3714 2.8±0.9 3211 2.8±0.9
Cardio-Stroke-
Cancer (only
present in 6-
class modelh)		 Higher prevalence of
CHFf, CHD, arrhythmia,
stroke. Moderately
elevated DM, HTN,
cancer. Low prevalence
of arthritis, ADg
Parkinson’s		 N/A N/A 1165 3.8±0.9
Major Neurologic
Disease		 Very high prevalence of
AD, Parkinson’s, stroke,
psychiatric disorders.
Moderately elevated
CHD and osteoporosis		 404 4.8±1.6 396 4.7±1.5
Very Sick Prevalence of all 13
conditions is above
sample prevalence		 1975 5.4±1.4 1158 6.3±1.1
a

SD = standard deviation

b

COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

c

HTN = hypertension

d

DM = diabetes mellitus

e

CHD = coronary heart disease

f

CHF = congestive heart failure

g

AD=Alzheimer’s Disease

h

In the 6-class model, participants with CHD tended to be assigned to the “Cardio-Stroke-Cancer Class,” characterized by vascular risk factors (DM, HTN) plus related end organ damage (CHF, CHD) and cancer. In contrast, in the 5-class model, participants with CHD were typically placed into either the “Vascular” Class (characterized by high prevalence of DM, HTN, stroke) or into the “Very Sick” Class, depending on their burden of comorbidities. The emergence of the “Cardio-Vascular-Cancer” Class in the 6-class model tended to restrict the Very Sick Class to those participants with extreme multimorbidity, which was typically both vascular and non-vascular in nature.

i

BIC = Bayesian Information Criterion (smaller values indicate more optimal models)