BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for stroke, but the mechanisms by which smoking contributes to stroke are not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the roles of lung function (represented by forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1)) and aldosterone as potential mediators of the association of smoking with stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS The data were derived from ...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the excess mortality observed in patients who received both levodopa and selegiline in a randomised trial could be explained by revised diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, autonomic or cardiovascular effects, more rapid disease progression, or drug interactions. DESIGN Open randomised trial and blind comparison and reclassification of the cause of death of patient...

BACKGROUND Excess body weight is a risk factor for a first venous thromboembolism. The impact of excess body weight on risk of recurrent venous thrombosis is uncertain. METHODS We studied 1107 patients for an average of 46 months after a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism and withdrawal of anticoagulant therapy. Excluded were pregnant patients, those requiring long-term antithrombotic tr...

The objective of this study was to assess whether an increasing severity of sleep apnoea is associated with increased all-cause mortality hazards and to assess whether the syndrome is associated with excess mortality, in comparison with the general population. Participants included 14,589 adult males, aged 20-93 yrs, referred to the sleep clinics with suspected sleep apnoea or diagnosed with sl...

BACKGROUND Smoking and metabolic syndrome are known to be related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk. In Asian countries, prevalence of obesity has increased and smoking rate in men is still high. We investigated the attribution of the combination of smoking and metabolic syndrome (or obesity) to excess CVD deaths in Japan. METHODS A cohort of nationwide representative Japanese samples, a ...

OBJECTIVE To quantify the risks of malignancy and mortality in people with coeliac disease compared with the general population. DESIGN Population based cohort study. SETTING General practice research database. PARTICIPANTS 4732 people with coeliac disease and 23,620 matched controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Hazard ratios for malignancy and mortality. RESULTS Of the 4732 people with coe...

BACKGROUND The authors developed a framework for estimating and comparing the risks of various long-term complications on a common scale and applied it to 3 different techniques for craniospinal irradiation in patients with pediatric medulloblastoma. METHODS Radiation dose-response parameters related to excess hazard ratios for secondary breast, lung, stomach, and thyroid cancer; heart failur...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Topical beta antagonists are prescribed for glaucoma in approximately 500 000 people in the United Kingdom. The authors have previously shown that topical beta antagonists are associated with an excess incidence of airways obstruction. They examined whether selective topical beta antagonists are associated with excess airways obstruction. METHODS A historical cohort study was ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES High bilirubin levels are associated with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). However, few large studies of relative and excess risk exist. We sought to quantify the risk of SNHL in newborns who had bilirubin levels at or above American Academy of Pediatrics exchange transfusion thresholds (ETT). METHODS Infants born at ≥35 weeks gestation in 15 Kaiser Permanente Nort...

Background/aims: Topical b antagonists are prescribed for glaucoma in approximately 500 000 people in the United Kingdom. The authors have previously shown that topical b antagonists are associated with an excess incidence of airways obstruction. They examined whether selective topical b antagonists are associated with excess airways obstruction. Methods: A historical cohort study was performed...