Unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption and risk of stroke in the Spanish cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: High intakes of unprocessed red or processed meat may increase the risk of stroke. We aimed to examine the association between unprocessed red meat, processed meat and total red meat consumption and risk of total stroke and ischaemic stroke. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted based on the data for 41,020 men and women aged 29-69 years at baseline. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 13.8 years, 674 incident cases of stroke (531 ischaemic strokes, 79 haemorrhagic strokes, 42 subarachnoid haemorrhages and 22 mixed or unspecified events) were identified. After multiple adjustment, unprocessed red meat, processed meat and total red meat consumption were not correlated with incidence of total stroke or ischaemic stroke in either men or women. The hazard ratios (HRs) for unprocessed red meat and processed meat and risk of total stroke comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles were, respectively, 0.81 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54-1.21; P-trend=0.15) and 0.92 (95% CI 0.64-1.32; P-trend=0.82) in men and 1.21 (95% CI 0.79-1.85; P-trend=0.10) and 0.81 (95% CI 0.51-1.27; P-trend=0.17) in women. The HRs for unprocessed red meat and processed meat and risk of ischaemic stroke were, respectively, 0.80 (95% CI 0.51-1.25; P-trend=0.51) and 0.86 (95% CI 0.57-1.29; P-trend=0.77) in men and 1.24 (95% CI 0.74-2.05; P-trend=0.13) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.47-1.42; P-trend=0.31) in women. CONCLUSIONS: In the Spanish European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption were not associated with risk of stroke in men or women.

[Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Navarre]. / Situación epidemiológica de la tuberculosis en Navarra, 2006.

BACKGROUND: To describe the tendency and epidemiological characteristics of tuberculosis and estimate the prevalence of tuberculosis infection in Navarre. Methods. An analysis was made of the cases of tuberculosis reported in the 1993-2006 period, completed with microbiological information and data from other registries. RESULTS: The incidence of tuberculosis in Navarre declined from 24.0 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 1993 to 13.7 per 100,000 in 2006. Between 2000 and 2006 the incidence of tuberculosis fell by an annual 6.5% in those born in Spain and by an annual 9.3% in those born in other countries. In the 2004-2006 period, the diagnoses of tuberculosis were more frequent in males (60%), between the ages of 25 and 34 years (26.1%), and over 65 years of age (24.1%), and in persons born in Spain (69.0%). Four point three percent of the cases were coinfected with HIV. Six point six percent had had prior antituberculosis treatment, 5.4% showed resistance to some antituberculosis drug, and 2.3% resistance to more than one. There was a predominance of pulmonary forms (68.9%) and 37% of the total had positive sputum bacilloscopy. Death occurred in 6.2% of the cases before treatment was finalised. Between 2004 and 2006 15 clusters of cases were detected, 11 amongst cohabitants. Ninety-three percent of the secondary cases occurred from index cases born in Spain. CONCLUSION: There has been a notable advance in the control of tuberculosis, both in the native population and in that from other countries, although there is still room for improvement.

Changes in breast cancer mortality in Navarre (Spain) after introduction of a screening programme.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess changes in the trend of breast cancer mortality in Navarre, and the effect that a screening programme may have had on these changes. METHODS: A breast cancer screening programme targeting women aged 45-65 years was launched in Navarre in September 1990. Breast cancer deaths between 1975 and 2004 were identified from the Navarre Mortality Registry, and the date of diagnosis was obtained by linkage with the population-based Navarre Cancer Registry. We compared breast cancer mortality during the pre-screening (1987-89) and screening (2002-04) periods, and with the estimated rate in the last period calculated by a linear model with a Poisson distribution. The long-term trends (from 1975 through 2004) were described by joinpoint regression analysis. Prevalent cases (those diagnosed before 1991) were excluded to minimize dilution of the benefit in the post-screening period due to deaths from tumours diagnosed before screening began. RESULTS: The joinpoint analysis showed a rising trend in breast cancer mortality rates until 1994, followed by a continual decrease of just over 5% per year. A comparison of mortality rates between the last pre-screening and the screening periods showed a decrease of 36% (95% confidence interval [CI] 21-48%), with the largest reduction in the 50-69 years age group (52%; CI: 33-65%). In this age group, mortality in the 2002-04 period was 62% lower than that projected from extrapolation of the pre-screening trend, while in unscreened age groups (30-44 and > or =75 years), mortality was only 22% lower. When prevalent tumours were excluded, the 50-69 years age group presented a further decrease in mortality than when all tumours were considered. CONCLUSIONS: Fourteen years after the introduction of a screening programme, a major reduction in breast cancer mortality has been observed.

[Recent trends of the main causes of death in Navarre. 1995-2004]. / Tendencias recientes de las principales causas de muerte en Navarra. 1995-2004.

UNLABELLED: We present the statistics for mortality in Navarre for the 1995-2004 period by sex, age and cause of death. METHODS: The data proceeds from the statistical bulletins on death. The 1995-1999 period is compared with the 2000-2004 period, using adjusted rates to the population of Navarre for the year 2001 and the rate of potential years of life lost between 0-70 years adjusted to the European population. RESULTS: Life expectancy at birth in the 2000-2004 period was 77.9 years in men and 85 years in women, the latter being one of the highest registered at the world level. Infant mortality fell to 3.3 per 1,000 living newborn infants. The risk of death has fallen in practically all age groups, with a notable fall in mortality of 40% in the 25-34 group at the cost of AIDS. There has been a significant increase of mortality due to lung cancer amongst women under 65 years of age (46%) in the 2000-2004 period with respect to the previous five year period and a sharp fall in mortality due to breast cancer (45.4%). In both sexes there has been a continued fall of mortality due to cerebrovascular diseases, ischaemic heart diseases, cardiac failure and arteriosclerosis and of mortality due to ulcer and cirrhosis. The rates of mortality in Navarre in all the main groups of causes are lower than those of Europe, except for the rate of mortality due to external causes. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of mortality due to lung cancer and other cancers related to smoking, due to the spread of consumption in recent decades, could have a negative influence on the life expectancy of women in Navarre in coming years. The prevention of mortality due to external causes and the prevention of deaths linked to tobacco consumption are the two priorities that emerge from the data on mortality in this autonomous community.