Secondhand smoke exposure, pulmonary function, and cardiovascular mortality

PURPOSE: Cardiovascular disease and obstructive lung disease are leading global causes of death. Despite this, the impact of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure on pulmonary function and cardiovascular disease remains uncertain. Our goal was to elucidate the association between baseline SHS exposure and the risk of lung function decline and cardiovascular mortality over a period of nearly a decade. METHODS: We used data from a longitudinal cohort study of 1,057 older adults to study the association between baseline SHS exposure and the risk of lung function decline and cardiovascular mortality. The effect of SHS exposure on cardiovascular mortality may be mediated by its influence on FEV1 and biological processes captured by measurement of FEV1. Alternatively, the effect of SHS may be mediated by baseline cardiovascular disease status, which reflects the combined effects of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. To correctly estimate the effect of SHS and FEV1 on cardiovascular mortality, we used marginal structural models (MSMs) that took into account the mediating effects of FEV1 and baseline cardiovascular disease in the causal pathway. RESULTS: In longitudinal multivariate analyses, lifetime cumulative home and work SHS exposure were associated with a greater decline of FEV1 (-15 mL/s; 95% CI, -29 to -1.3 mL/s and -41 mL/s; 95% CI, -55 to -28 mL/s per 10-year cumulative exposure, respectively). Lifetime home SHS exposure was associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular mortality in both conventional multivariate analysis (HR, 1.10 per 10 years of exposure; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.24) and the MSM for FEV1 (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.95 to 1.19) and baseline cardiovascular disease (HR for subjects with no baseline cardiovascular disease, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.66). CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime SHS exposure appears to result in a greater decline in lung function and risk of cardiovascular mortality, taking into account confounders and the mediating effect of FEV1 and baseline cardiovascular disease.     

Physical inactivity is associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second : European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk Prospective Population Study

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease, stroke, lung cancer, and all-cause mortality. One possible explanation for this association is that FEV(1) is a marker of other determinants of mortality risk, such as obesity and physical inactivity. In a population-based cohort study of 12,283 men and women aged 45-74 years from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk Study recruited in 1993-1997, the cross-sectional association between physical activity and FEV(1) and that between physical activity and change in FEV(1) were analyzed. Indices of physical activity, including participation in vigorous recreational activity, stair climbing, and television viewing, were assessed with a validated questionnaire designed to assess activity in the previous year. Television viewing was negatively associated with FEV(1) in men and women (p < 0.001), whereas stair climbing and participation in vigorous leisure time activities were positively associated with FEV(1) in men and women (p < 0.001). The associations remained after adjustment for known confounders, including age, height, vitamin C, and smoking. Climbing more stairs and participating in vigorous leisure-time activity predicted a slower rate in annual percent decline in FEV(1) (p < 0.004 and p < 0.002, respectively). In conclusion, physical activity is associated with higher levels of FEV(1), whereas television viewing is associated with lower levels.     

TRENDS IN CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN AUSTRALIA, 1966–1983: EVIDENCE FROM PREVALENCE SURVEYS

A review of published data from cardiovascular risk factor surveys among adults in Australia from 1966 to 1983 suggests that: — prevalence of cigarette smoking decreased significantly by up to 1.4 per cent per year among men but increased among younger women; — serum cholesterol mean levels decreased significantly by 0.03 - 0.04 mmol/1 per year among men and 0.04 - 0.07 mmol/1 per year among women; — systolic blood pressure mean levels decreased significantly by 0.05 - 0.3 mmHg per year among men and 0.2 - 0.6 mmHg per year among women; — diastolic blood pressure showed no significant or consistent changes among men but some decrease among women. During the same period death rates from ischaemic heart disease (IHD) declined by over 40 per cent. The changes in risk factor levels are estimated to account for about half of the decline in IHD mortality for men and about three quarters of the decline for women.     

Ventilatory function, height, and mortality among lifelong non-smokers.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aims were to determine the relationship between spirometric indices and mortality among lifelong non-smokers, and to investigate whether the association of short stature with increased risk of death is explained by reduced levels of ventilatory function in shorter men. DESIGN--The study was a nested (within cohort) case-control analysis of an 18 year prospective study of mortality. SUBJECTS--Participants were 3452 male civil servants aged 40-64 years at entry who denied ever having smoked tobacco. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--408 men who died were matched to 2874 controls of the same age and height. Reduced one second forced expiratory volume (FEV1) was associated with mortality from non-respiratory causes (rate ratio per litre decrease = 1.44, 95% confidence interval 1.196-1.73). The ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity was a weak predictor of mortality. Among 397 case-control sets matched for age and FEV1, mortality was unrelated to height. Comparing mortality differentials across age adjusted tertiles of each risk factor, height adjusted FEV1 was a stronger predictor of death than height, body mass index, or plasma cholesterol. FEV1 adjusted for age but not for height was almost as strong a predictor as systolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS--The determinants of ventilatory function in lifelong non-smokers may include causes of premature death. FEV1 may be a more sensitive indicator than height of early life influences upon mortality.     

Lung function, respiratory symptoms, and mortality: results from the Busselton Health Study

PURPOSE: This study examines the association between lung function [percentage predicted FEV, (forced expiratory volume in 1 s)] and respiratory symptoms (asthma, bronchitis, wheeze, dyspnea) and mortality from all causes; coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and respiratory disease in a cohort of 2,100 men and 2,177 women in the Busselton Health Study followed for 20-26 years for mortality. METHODS: A total of 840 men and 637 women died during the follow-up period, and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the relationships between risk factors and mortality. RESULTS: Lung function was significantly and independently predictive of mortality from all causes, coronary heart disease, cancer, and respiratory disease in both men and women, and of mortality from stroke in women. There was evidence that, among men, the association was stronger in current and former smokers as compared to those who never smoked. After adjustment for age, smoking, lung function, coronary heart disease, blood pressure, treatment for hypertension, total cholesterol, body mass index, and alcohol consumption, dyspnea was significantly related to total mortality in men and women and to respiratory disease mortality in men, and asthma was significantly related to respiratory disease mortality in women. CONCLUSIONS: Lung function is associated with mortality from many diseases independent of smoking and respiratory symptoms. Although most respiratory symptoms are associated with smoking and lung function, after controlling for smoking and lung function, only dyspnea is associated with mortality from nonrespiratory causes.     

Pulmonary function as a predictor of lung cancer mortality in continuing cigarette smokers and in quitters

BACKGROUND: Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) may be useful for identifying smokers at higher risk of lung cancer. We examined the association of FEV(1) with lung cancer mortality (LCM) among cigarette smokers in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (MRFIT). METHODS: In all, 6613 MRFIT baseline smokers alive at trial end in 1982 had acceptable FEV(1) measures and complete smoking history; men were classified as during-trial long-term quitters (N = 1292), intermittent quitters (1961), and never quitters (3360). Proportional hazards models for LCM were fit with quintiles of average FEV(1), adjusted for age, height, race, smoking history, and other risk factors. RESULTS: For long-term, intermittent, and never quitters respectively, mean baseline cigarettes/ day was 28, 32, and 35; trial-averaged FEV(1) was 3201, 3146, and 3082 ml; and average decline in FEV(1) was -46.0, -54.6, and -62.5 ml/year. With median post-trial mortality follow-up of 18 years, there were 363 lung cancer deaths. Age-adjusted LCM rates varied across FEV(1) quintiles from 50 (lowest quintile) to 11 (highest quintile), 58 to 11, and 76 to 20, per 10 000 person-years, for long-term quitters, intermittent quitters, and never quitters, respectively. Multivariate adjusted hazard ratios for 100 ml higher FEV(1) were 0.92 [P = 0.004], 0.95 [P = 0.003], and 0.95 [P < 0.0001] respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the strong predictive value of FEV(1) for lung cancer among cigarette smokers independent of smoking history; results did not differ by during-trial quit status. FEV(1) may be a biological marker for smoking dose or it may be that genetic susceptibilities to both decreased FEV(1) and lung cancer are associated.     

大规模社会人群心血管疾病死亡变动趋势的监测分析

1985到1989年,按Monica方案在辽宁省选择大规模社会人群进行心血管疾病死亡变动趋势的监测。五年监测数为2682,516人次(男1361,621人次,女1320,895人次),平均每年监测536,501人次。结果表明:五年间监测人群心血管疾病的平均死亡率为175/10万,占各种疾病死亡构成的42％;冠心病、急性心肌梗死(AMI)、冠心病猝死及脑卒中的平均死亡率分别为22/10万,6/10万、15/10万及67/10万。心血管疾病的死亡呈现逐年增高趋势。除冠心病猝死外,急性心梗、脑卒中的死亡均表现出平稳状态;各类心血管疾病均有随年龄的增加死亡率也随之增高的现象。各种心血管病均男性高于女性。研究结果说明心血管疾病目前仍未达到良好控制的程度。     

Development of a tool for assessment of local government health policy

OBJECTIVE: A tool was developed for assessment of health status in communities to help formulate health policy of local governments and allow estimates of magnitude of changes in mortality with modification of selected risk variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 25,201 men and 51,776 women aged 40-69 years who underwent health checkups in Ibaraki-ken, Japan, in 1993 were followed through 2002. Risk ratios for all cause, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, all cancer, and lung cancer deaths were calculated according to smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and diabetes using a Cox proportional hazards model. Regression coefficients for body mass index, systolic blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and plasma glucose were also calculated by the model with quadratic terms. On the basis of the results, we developed a tool using Microsoft EXCEL, allowing estimation of the magnitude of changes in death rates according to variation in mean and standard deviation values for risk factors by impact fraction. RESULTS: The developed tool facilitates estimation of magnitude of changes in death rates with alteration in exposure rates and means/standard deviations of risk variables with intervention. The best magnitude of decline for all cause mortality with a 50% reduction of exposure to smoking was 10% in men. The magnitudes of decline in cardiovascular disease mortality with a 50% reduction in hypertension were 12% in men and 11% in women. Furthermore, the magnitude of decline in cardiovascular disease mortality if a 10% lowering of mean systolic blood pressure were achieved would be 22% in men and 18% in women. CONCLUSIONS: Our developed tool may be useful to assess health status in communities with cooperation between municipal and prefectural governments.     

Lung function and incident coronary heart disease: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

The authors examined the association between lung function, as measured by forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity, and the 10-year incidence of coronary heart disease among 14,480 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (1987-1998). Separate proportional hazards models were used for FEV1 and forced vital capacity, with gender-specific lung function quartiles and lung function x gender interaction terms. An association between lung function and coronary heart disease was observed in both genders and was stronger among women. After adjustment for age, race, study center, height, height squared, smoking, and cardiovascular disease risk factors, the hazard ratios for the first (lowest), second, and third quartiles of FEV1 were 3.70 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.19, 6.24), 2.54 (95% CI: 1.49, 4.32), and 2.25 (95% CI: 1.31, 3.87) for women and 1.51 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.13), 1.59 (95% CI: 1.15, 2.20), and 1.52 (95% CI: 1.10, 2.09) for men. After stratification by smoking status, associations were observed in each smoking group for women, while those in men were weaker and less consistent. Similar results were obtained for forced vital capacity. This analysis indicates an association between lung function and incident coronary heart disease that may be stronger in women than in men.     

Trends in mortality from lung cancer in Mexico, 1980-2000]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze trends in age-adjusted lung cancer mortality rates in Mexico for the period of 1980 through 2000. METHOD: The trends were assessed using the adjusted rates of mortality from lung cancer, year of death, year of birth, age at death, state, and standard population. The standardized mortality rate and the index of potential years of life lost were used to compare incidence and premature deaths. The standardized mortality rate was analyzed by age groups according to the age at death (30-74 years), five-year observation period (1980-1999), and birth cohort (1910-1950). Nonparametric Spearman correlations were calculated for per capita tobacco consumption, social marginalization, and emigration. RESULTS: The adjusted mortality rate from lung cancer declined from 7.91 per 100 000 in 1989 to 5.96 per 100 000 in 2000. This pattern correlated with the reduction in per capita tobacco consumption, from 2.145 kg in 1959 to 0.451 kg in 1982. The latent period for the appearance of lung cancer in Mexico was 30 years. The male:female ratio was 2.4:1. The highest adjusted mortality rate was found in men who were 70-74 years old at the time of death. The adjusted mortality rates were low among the cohorts of persons born in 1945 or later, and those rates declined over the 1980-2000 period. The index of potential years of life lost and the incidence of premature death were greater among men. The mortality rates for the cohorts of men born between 1915 and 1940 showed a slight decline over the 1980-2000 period; beginning with men born in 1944 the rates increased slightly, mainly among men 30-34 and 35-39 years old at the time of death. For women the adjusted mortality rates were highest among those 75 or older; the rates gradually declined among the women born between 1945 and 1960, with the largest decrease among women 30-34 years old. The adjusted mortality rates varied according to the five-year observation period, the year of death, and birth cohort and gender. The correlation coefficient for the adjusted mortality rate by state and social marginalization was -0.70 (P = 0.00). There was no statistically significant correlation with the index of emigration (P = 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Mortality from lung cancer has declined in Mexico. Morbidity and premature death due to lung cancer are greater in the states of northern Mexico.     

Increased mortality among Indigenous persons during and after release from prison in New South Wales

Objective: To estimate the overall and cause specific mortality of Aboriginal offenders in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Methods: The study cohort consisted of all Aboriginal men and women aged 18 years and older who had experienced full‐time imprisonment in NSW between 1 January 1988 and 31 December 2002. Their data were linked probabilistically to the Australian National Death Index to obtain information on death. Standardised mortality ratios were calculated for all causes of death and adjusted for age, sex, and calendar year. Results: The cohort comprised 7,980 men and 1,373 women with 75,801 person years of observation. During a median follow‐up period of 8.3 years, 485 men and 73 women died, giving an overall mortality rate of 733 and 755 deaths per 100,000 person‐years. The risk of death in men was 4.8 (95% CI: 4.4–5.3) times and among women 12.6 (95% CI: 10.0–15.8) times that of the NSW residents, with a markedly elevated risk for almost all conditions. The leading cause of death was cardiovascular disease in men (112 deaths, 23%) and mental and behavioural disorders (17 deaths, 23%) in women. The risk of death was greatest following release from prison. Conclusions and Implications: High mortality rates for cardiovascular disease, a preventable and treatable condition, were seen among Aboriginal offenders. Prison has an important role to play in screening marginalised populations for a range of health conditions. This is particularly true for Indigenous offenders.     

2009—2019年中国老年人心血管疾病死亡趋势及预测分析

目的 了解2009—2019年我国老年人心血管疾病总体死亡趋势并进行趋势预测的分析,为制定适合我国老年人心血管疾病整体防治策略提供相关理论基础。方法 利用2009—2019年《中国死因监测数据集》,采用joinpoint回归模型分析老年人心血管疾病死亡率的平均年度变化百分比(AAPC),应用GM(1,1)对我国2020—2030年老年人心血管疾病死亡粗率进行预测。结果 与2009年相比,2019年我国老年人心血管疾病平均死亡粗率降至2 039.99/10万,年龄标化死亡率则降至2 172.24/10万;我国总老年人群、老年男性和女性、城市和乡村老年人心血管疾病标化死亡率AAPC分别为-2.400%、-2.843%、-2.049%、-1.368%、-3.298%,均呈长期下降趋势,P<0.05;老年男性的死亡率下降速度快于老年女性,但2009—2019年老年男性心血管病标化死亡率始终较女性高;农村的下降速度快于城市,但2009—2019年农村老年人心血管病标化死亡率始终较城市高;随着年龄的增长,中国65岁以上老年人心血管疾病的死亡率逐渐上升,在≥85岁组死亡率达到最高,各年龄组AA...     

Trends in mortality from stroke in Scotland, 1950-1986.

The Scottish Registrar General's Annual Reports have been used to study trends in mortality from stroke in Scotland during 1950-1986 in those aged 45 to 74. In 1950 the age-adjusted mortality rate was 347.4 per 100,000 population for men and 360.8 for women, falling to 199.6 for men and 155.8 for women in 1986. This downward trend has increased from 1976 for males. The average annual decline in age-adjusted mortality from stroke over the 37-year period was 4.0 per 100,000 in males and 5.5 in females. This reduction in death rates was proportionally higher for women compared with men in all age groups over 55 years. As with cardiovascular deaths, mortality from stroke was lower in the east than in the central region and west of Scotland. The reduction in mortality resulted in a substantial 'saving' of lives, estimated at 12,500 between 1980 and 1984.     

Why does lung function predict mortality? Results from the Whitehall II Cohort Study

The authors examined the extent to which socioeconomic position, behavior-related factors, cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory markers, and chronic diseases explain the association between poor lung function and mortality in 4,817 participants (68.9% men) from the Whitehall II Study aged 60.8 years (standard deviation, 5.9), on average. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) was used to measure lung function in 2002-2004. A total of 139 participants died during a mean follow-up period of 6.4 years (standard deviation, 0.8). In a model adjusted for age and sex, being in the lowest tertile of FEV(1)/height(2) was associated with a 1.92-fold (95% confidence interval: 1.35, 2.73) increased risk of mortality compared with being in the top 2 tertiles. Once age, sex, and smoking history were taken into account, the most important explanatory factors for this association were inflammatory markers (21.3% reduction in the FEV(1)/height(2)-mortality association), coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes (11.7% reduction), and alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and body mass index (9.8% reduction). The contribution of socioeconomic position and cardiovascular risk factors was small (≤ 3.5% reduction). Taken together, these factors explained 32.5% of the association. Multiple pathways link lung function to mortality; these results show inflammatory markers to be particularly important.     

The size of educational differences in mortality from specific causes of death in men and women

This study examines the association between education and mortality from specific causes of death based on mortality records for 1996 and 1997, and 1996 population census data from the Region of Madrid (Spain). Poisson regression models were used to estimate the percentage increase in mortality associated with 1 year less education. The percentage increases in mortality from stomach cancer, lung, bladder and liver cancers, for aids, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia and influenza, and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis were higher in men than in women, whereas the percentage increases in mortality from colon cancer, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and nephritis, nephrosis and nephrotic syndrome were higher in women. The results found for some causes of death – lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – reflect the variations by educational level in the prevalence of lifestyle-related risk factors in men and women. Various hypotheses have been suggested for other causes of death, but it is not known why the magnitude of the association between education and mortality from some causes of death differs between men and women. Future studies of this subject may provide some clues as to the underlying mechanisms of this association.     

Inequality in health: socioeconomic differentials in mortality in Rome, 1990-95

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Population groups with a lower socioeconomic status (SES) have a greater risk of disease and mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between SES and mortality in the metropolitan area of Rome during the six year period 1990-1995, and to examine variations in mortality differentials between 1990-92 and 1993-95. DESIGN: Rome has a population of approximately 2,800,000, with 6100 census tracts (CTs). During the study period, 149,002 deaths occurred among residents. The cause-specific mortality rates were compared among four socioeconomic categories defined by a socioeconomic index, derived from characteristics of the CT of residence. MAIN RESULTS: Among men, total mortality and mortality for the major causes of death showed an inverse association with SES. Among 15-44 year old men, the strong positive association between total mortality and low SES was attributable to AIDS and overdose mortality. Among women, a positive association with lower SES was observed for stomach cancer, uterus cancer and cardiovascular disease, whereas mortality for lung and breast cancers was higher in the groups with higher SES. Comparing the periods 1990-92 and 1993-95, differences in total mortality between socioeconomic groups widened in both sexes. Increasing differences were observed for tuberculosis and lung cancer among men, and for uterus cancer, traffic accidents, and overdose mortality among women. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an area-based indicator of SES limits the interpretations of the findings. However, despite the possible limitations, these results suggest that social class differences in mortality in Rome are increasing. Time changes in lifestyle and in the prevalence of risk behaviours may produce differences in disease incidence. Moreover, inequalities in the access to medical care and in the quality of care may contribute to an increasing differentials in mortality.     

Trends in coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity in Auckland, New Zealand, 1974-1986

Routine mortality statistics show that coronary heart disease (CHD) death rates have declined consistently in Auckland men since 1968; in women, death rates declined between 1968 and 1986 but since 1981 there may have been a reduction in the rate of decline. Data from CHD registers conducted in Auckland, New Zealand in 1974, 1981, and since 1983 as part of the WHO MONICA Project, have been used to investigate the validity and reasons for the decline in the age group 35-64 years. In Auckland age-standardized sudden coronary death rates in men declined by approximately 2% per year between 1974 and 1986; there was no apparent decline in women. There was also an indication of a decline in age-standardized definite myocardial infarction rates but again only in men; 28 day case fatality in patients with a definite myocardial infarction has not changed significantly in the period 1981-1986. These results validate the mortality trends based on death certificates and in particular the differing recent trends in men and women. The decline in CHD mortality in men without a concomitant change in case fatality and the lack of recent decline in women, suggest that changes in the natural history of the disease rather than treatment are responsible for the mortality trends. Since disease events are rare in absolute numbers, long-term monitoring of coronary heart disease in large population groups will be necessary to usefully study disease trends, particularly in women.     

Changes in smoking status affect women more than men: results of the Lung Health Study

Lung Health Study participants were smokers aged 35-60 years with mild lung function impairment who participated in a 5-year, 10-center (nine in the United States, one in Canada) clinical trial in 1986-1994. The authors compared the relation of randomized treatment assignments and of smoking history during the study with changes in lung function between men and women. Spirometry was performed annually, and 3,348 men and 1,998 women attended the follow-up clinic visit that included spirometry at year 5. This paper reports on an analysis of changes in lung function by gender, treatment group, and three smoking history categories: sustained quitters, intermittent quitters, and continuing smokers. Among participants who quit smoking in the first year, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) expressed as a percentage of the predicted value of FEV(1 )given the person's age, height, gender, and race (FEV(1)%) increased more in women (3.7% of predicted) than in men (1.6% of predicted) (p < 0.001). Across the 5-year follow-up period, among sustained quitters, women gained more in FEV(1)% of predicted than did men. Methacholine reactivity was more strongly related to rates of decline in women than in men (p < 0.001). Therefore, among persons at risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, smoking cessation has an even clearer advantage for women than it does for men.     

Inflammatory markers and longitudinal lung function decline in the elderly

Longitudinal studies examining associations of the inflammatory markers fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) with lung function decline are sparse. The authors examined whether elevated fibrinogen and CRP levels were associated with greater longitudinal lung function decline in the elderly. The Cardiovascular Health Study measured fibrinogen and CRP in 5,790 Whites and African Americans from four US communities aged 65 years or older in 1989-1990 or 1992-1993. Spirometry was performed in 1989-1990 and 4, 7, and 16 years later. Fibrinogen and CRP were inversely associated with lung function at baseline after adjustment for multiple potential confounders. In mixed models, the rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1))/forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio with increasing age was faster among those with higher baseline fibrinogen (-0.032%/year per standard deviation higher fibrinogen (95% confidence interval: -0.057, -0.0074)) but not among those with higher CRP (-0.0037%/year per standard deviation higher CRP (95% confidence interval: -0.013, 0.0056)). Longitudinal analyses for FEV(1) and FVC yielded results in the direction opposite of that hypothesized, possibly because of the high mortality rate and strong inverse association of FEV(1) and FVC but not FEV(1)/FVC with mortality. An alternative approach to missing data yielded similar results. In conclusion, higher levels of fibrinogen, but not CRP, independently predicted greater FEV(1)/FVC decline in the elderly.     

Change in survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and its effect on coronary heart disease mortality, Minneapolis-St. Paul. The Minnesota Heart Survey

Emergency medical services with advanced life support systems were implemented in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, area in the mid-1970s. To assess the impact of emergency medical services on coronary heart disease mortality, the authors reviewed ambulance records and hospital emergency room logs for possible out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in the period 1972-1982. Potential cases, and their survival to discharge, were validated by hospital record review and were checked against Minnesota death certificates for the year of cardiac arrest and the year following cardiac arrest. Age-adjusted rates of survival to 1 year after cardiac arrest (per 100,000 population) for survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest aged 30-74 years increased significantly from 1972 to 1982 for men (1.8 vs. 11.7; p less than 0.00001) and for women (0.5 vs. 3.5; p less than 0.01). Coronary heart disease mortality rates declined in that period by 34.9% for men (from 527.5 per 100,000 to 343.3 per 100,000) and by 41.7% for women (from 168.6 per 100,000 to 98.3 per 100,000). The authors estimate that improved survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest contributed 5.4% (9.9 of 184.2) of the mortality decline for men and 4.3% (3.0 of 70.3) of the decline for women. This was a significant contribution to the decline in coronary heart disease mortality, but it explains only a small part of it.