Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Introduction:
Hispanic/Latino individuals are known to have higher traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors compared to non-Hispanic Whites and Asians. However, inconsistencies and variability exist regarding the incidence of heart failure (HF) among Hispanics compared to other race/ethnic groups. We examined the incidence of HF in participants enrolled in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

Methods:
The baseline HCHS/SOL population consisted of 16,415 participants enrolled between 2008 - 2011 and followed up for incident HF events through 2015 (mean follow up period of 5.8 years). A total of 1000 participants with pre-existing HF at baseline, or with missing information/response for baseline HF, socio-economic status (SES), CVD risk factors, and medication use were excluded. Outcome was ascertained via self-report of events at annual follow-up interviews. HF events were adjudicated by trained physicians who reviewed hospital records. HCHS/SOL participants were stratified into seven Hispanic/Latino heritage groups: Mexican, Dominican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, as well as more than one/other. Cox-proportional hazard regression models were used to calculate HRs for incident HF with Mexican Americans as the reference group and controlling for SES, CVD risk factors, and medication use.

Results:
A total of 15,415 participants [mean age 41 years, 52.2% Female) were included and 114 HF events (69 Males and 45 Females) were identified after 89,751 person-years follow up. The HF incidence rate was 94.6 per 100,000 persons-years. Hispanic/Latino individuals of Cuban background had the highest HF incidence rate (131.4 per 100,000 person-years) while those from Central American backgrounds had the lowest (42.8 per 100,000 person-years). Hispanic/Latino individuals of Cuban background [HR: 1.471 (95% C.I: 0.397,5.447)] and Dominican background [HR: 0.509 (95% C.I: 0.075, 3.429)] had the highest and lowest adjusted HR of incident HF compared to those of Mexican background.

Conclusion:
Among different Hispanic/Latino heritage groups, the incidence rate for HF was highest among those with Cuban background and lowest among those with a Central American background.