Publications (281) View all
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Article: Cigarette smoking and smoking cessation in relation to risk of rheumatoid arthritis in women.
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ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Whereas the overall association between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) must be regarded as established, considerably less is known about how much smoking is needed to increase the risk of RA, that is, the effect of smoking intensity, duration and cessation. METHODS: The Swedish Mammography Cohort, including 34,101 women aged 54 to 89 years, was followed up from January 1, 2003 through December 31, 2010 (219 RA cases identified). Relative risks (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated as rate ratios using Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between smoking intensity (RR comparing 1 to 7 cigarettes/day vs never smoking 2.31 (95% CI: 1.59, 3.36)) as well as duration of smoking (comparing 1 to 25 years vs never smoking RR = 1.60 (95% CI: 1.07, 2.38)) and risk of RA. Compared to never smokers, the risk was still significantly elevated 15 years after smoking cessation (RR = 1.99 (95% CI: 1.23, 3.20)). However, among former smokers, the risk of RA seemed to be decreasing over time since stopping smoking: women who stopped smoking 15 years before the start of the follow-up had 30% lower risk of RA compared to those who stopped only a year before start of the follow-up (RR = 0.70 (95% CI: 0.24,2.02)). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective study highlights that even light cigarette smoking is associated with increased risk of RA in women and that smoking cessation may reduce, though not remove, this risk.Arthritis research & therapy 04/2013; 15(2):R56. · 4.27 Impact Factor -
Article: Fish consumption in infancy and development of allergic disease up to age 12 y.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Fish intake in infancy has been associated with reduced risk of allergic disease in early childhood, but it is unknown whether this effect remains as children grow older. OBJECTIVE: We studied the possible effect of fish consumption in infancy on prevalent and incident allergic disease up to the age of 12 y. DESIGN: A total of 3285 children from a prospective Swedish birth cohort (Children, Asthma, Milieu, Stockholm, Epidemiology) were included in the current analyses. At 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 y, parental questionnaires were used to obtain information on lifestyle factors, environmental exposures, and symptoms of allergic disease. The frequency of fish intake in infancy was assessed in the 1-y questionnaire. Serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E concentrations associated with common allergens were obtained at age 8 y. Generalized estimating equations and multivariate logistic regression were used to examine associations between fish consumption in infancy and prevalent and incident allergic disease at ages 1-12 y, including sensitization and IgE-associated disease at age 8 y. RESULTS: At 1 y of age, 80% of the children consumed fish regularly (ie, ≥2 times/mo). From 1 to 12 y of age, regular fish consumption in infancy reduced overall risks of prevalent and incident allergic disease [adjusted OR (95% CI) after restriction to children without early symptoms of allergic disease was 0.74 (0.60, 0.90) (P = 0.003) for prevalent rhinitis and 0.78 (0.63, 0.97) (P = 0.028) for prevalent eczema. CONCLUSION: Regular fish consumption in infancy may reduce risk of allergic disease up to age 12 y.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 04/2013; · 6.67 Impact Factor -
Article: Dietary calcium intake and risk of stroke: a dose-response meta-analysis.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The findings from epidemiologic studies of calcium intake and risk of stroke have been conflicting. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to conduct a dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies to assess the association between dietary calcium intake and stroke risk. DESIGN: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed and EMBASE databases until 11 December 2012 and by reviewing the reference lists of relevant articles. Observational prospective studies that reported RRs and 95% CIs for the association of calcium intake with stroke incidence or mortality were eligible. Study-specific RRs were combined by using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Eleven prospective studies, including 9095 cases of stroke, were included in the meta-analysis. Evidence of a nonlinear association between dietary calcium intake and risk of stroke was found. In a stratified analysis, calcium intake was inversely associated with risk of stroke in populations with a low to moderate average calcium intake (<700 mg/d; RR for a 300-mg/d increase in calcium intake: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.88) but was weakly positively associated with risk in populations with a high calcium intake (≥700 mg/d; corresponding RR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.06). An inverse association between calcium intake and risk of stroke was observed only in Asian populations (n = 4; RR for a 300-mg/d increase in calcium intake: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.87). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that dietary calcium intake may be inversely associated with stroke in populations with low to moderate calcium intakes and in Asian populations.American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 04/2013; · 6.67 Impact Factor -
Article: Total Antioxidant Capacity of Diet and Risk of Heart Failure: A Population-based Prospective Cohort of Women.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the association between individual antioxidants and risk of heart failure. No previous study has investigated the role of all antioxidants present in diet in relation to heart failure. The aim of this study was to assess the association between total antioxidant capacity of diet, which reflects all of the antioxidant compounds in food and the interactions between them, and the incidence of heart failure among middle-aged and elderly women. METHODS: In September 1997, 33,713 women (aged 49-83 years) from the Swedish Mammography Cohort completed a food-frequency questionnaire. Estimates of dietary total antioxidant capacity were based on the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity assay measurements of foods. Women were followed for incident heart failure (hospitalization or mortality of heart failure as the primary cause) through December 2009 using administrative health registries. Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: During 11.3 years of follow-up (394,059 person-years), we identified 894 incident cases of heart failure. Total antioxidant capacity of diet was inversely associated with heart failure (the multivariable-adjusted relative risk in the highest quintile compared with the lowest was 0.58 [95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.72; P for trend<.001]). The crude incidence rate was 18/10,000 person-years in the highest quintile versus 34/10,000 person-years in the lowest quintile. CONCLUSIONS: The total antioxidant capacity of diet, an estimate reflecting all antioxidants in diet, was associated with lower risk of heart failure. These results indicate that a healthful diet high in antioxidants may help prevent heart failure.The American journal of medicine 04/2013; · 4.47 Impact Factor -
Article: High-Dose Supplements of Vitamins C and E, Low-Dose Multivitamins, and the Risk of Age-related Cataract: A Population-based Prospective Cohort Study of Men.
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ABSTRACT: We examined the associations of high-dose supplements of vitamins C and E and low-dose multivitamins with the risk of age-related cataract among 31,120 Swedish men, aged 45-79 years, in a population-based prospective cohort. Dietary supplement use was assessed from a questionnaire at baseline in 1998. During follow-up (January 1998-December 2006), 2,963 incident age-related cataract cases were identified. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for men using vitamin C supplements only was 1.21 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04, 1.41) in a comparison with that of non-supplement users. The hazard ratio for long-term vitamin C users (≥10 years before baseline) was 1.36 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.81). The risk of cataract with vitamin C use was stronger among older men (>65 years) (hazard ratio = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.41, 2.60) and corticosteroid users (hazard ratio = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.48, 3.02). The hazard ratio for vitamin E use only was 1.59 (95% CI: 1.12, 2.26). Use of multivitamins only or multiple supplements in addition to vitamin C or E was not associated with cataract risk. These results suggest that the use of high-dose (but not low-dose) single vitamin C or E supplements may increase the risk of age-related cataract. The risk may be even higher among older men, corticosteroid users, and long-term users.American journal of epidemiology 02/2013; · 5.59 Impact Factor
