[Changes in smoking cessation in Spain, 1987-2020]. / Cambios en el abandono del consumo de tabaco en España, 1987-2020.

INTRODUCTION: The goal of this study was to estimate and to describe the smoking cessation changes in Spain from 1987 to 2020, according to the main sociodemographic characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Analysis of the historical series of the Spanish National Health Survey and the European Health Survey in Spain. Quit rate (QR) was defined as the number of former smokers among the total number of people who are smokers or have smoked at some time in their life. Other included variables were year of survey, age, gender and educational level. Poisson regression models were simultaneously adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, estimating QR and its 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each year. RESULTS: The absolute difference in standardized QR increased from 1987 to 2017 by 18.6% (95%CI: 16.8-20.4), being moderately higher in men (19.2%; 95%CI: 17.1-21.4) than in women (16.5%; 95%CI: 13.3-19.7). An increase in QR was observed in all age groups, but its magnitude increased with age, estimating a difference in QR between 1987 and 2017 of 22.4% (95%CI: 17.7-27.1) in those aged over 64. People having university studies showed a higher QR during the period, 32.7% (95%CI: 27.5-38.0), especially when compared to those with a lower level of education (9.0%; 95%CI: 4.8-13.2). CONCLUSION: QR has increased sharply and steadily since 1987, however important differences were detected according to age and educational level, highlighting the large increase in inequity observed in these 33years of evolution.

Secondhand Tobacco Smoke and Functional Impairments in Older Adults Living in the Community.

BACKGROUND/AIM: There has been no comprehensive examination of the potential association of SHS with broad functional limitation assessment in older adults, where functional limitations are burdensome and challenging. METHODS: We examined 2258 community-dwelling non-smoking older adults from the Seniors-Enrica-2-cohort. At baseline (2017) and follow-up (2019) grip strength was measured with a Jamar dynamometer, lower-extremity performance with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), overall physical function using the physical component summary (PCS) of the Spanish version of the SF-12, frailty with a Deficits Accumulation Index (DAI), and mobility limitations with the Rosow-Breslau scale. Baseline exposure to SHS was assessed by serum cotinine, and past exposure was self-reported. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using linear and logistic regression models, whereas functional performance changes were examined using repeated measures models with robust SE estimates. RESULTS: Overall, the median (IQR) serum cotinine concentration was 0.079 (0.035-0.175) ng/ml, with 20 participants presenting concentrations ≥3 ng/ml. Compared to the unexposed, fully-adjusted models showed that the highest exposure group (≥0.239 ng/ml) presented lower grip strength (mean difference: -1.05 kg; 95% CI = -1.80, -0.31) and higher DAI scores (1.52; 95% CI = 0.38, 2.66) at baseline. Similarly, in models of self-reported past exposure, never-smokers who had lived with ≥2 smokers or been exposed to higher SHS cumulative doses showed lower baseline SPPB values, higher DAI scores, and higher prevalence of mobility limitations. In prospective analyses, those in the highest quartile of baseline cotinine presented harmful SPPB [-0.24 (-0.46, -0.02)] and DAI [1.28 (0.00, 2.55)] changes, and higher risk of mobility limitations [hazard ratio: 1.64; 95% CI = 1.01, 2.68] than the unexposed. CONCLUSIONS: SHS exposure over the life-course and during old age may accelerate functional decline. IMPLICATIONS: This manuscript provides a comprehensive examination of the relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and a broad range of functional limitations in older adults. Results show that: (i) non-smokers who had been exposed to higher cumulative doses of SHS in adulthood show worse physical function than non-exposed. (ii) Exposure to SHS during old age, as measured with cotinine concentrations, is associated with accelerated short-term functional declines. (iii) The effects of SHS are stronger among older adults with chronic morbidities. (iv) Results suggest that more efforts are needed to protect older adults from passive smoking, especially to those with chronic conditions because of their potential greater vulnerability to the effects of SHS.

Arsenic, cadmium, and selenium exposures and bone mineral density-related endpoints: The HORTEGA study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Experimental data suggest that trace elements, such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and selenium (Se) can influence the bone remodeling process. We evaluated the cross-sectional association between As, Cd, and Se biomarkers with bone mineral density (BMD) measured at the calcaneus, in a representative sample of a general population from Spain. As secondary analyses we evaluated the associations of interest in subgroups defined by well-established BMD determinants, and also conducted prospective analysis of osteoporosis-related incident bone fractures restricted to participants older than 50 years-old. METHODS: In N = 1365 Hortega Study participants >20 years-old, urine As and Cd were measured by inductively coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS); plasma Se was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) with graphite furnace; and BMD at the calcaneus was measured using the Peripheral Instaneuous X-ray Imaging system (PIXI). As levels were corrected for arsenobetaine (Asb) to account for inorganic As exposure. RESULTS: The median of total urine As, Asb-corrected urine As, urine Cd, and plasma Se was 61.3, 6.53 and 0.39 µg/g creatinine, and 84.9 µg/L, respectively. In cross-sectional analysis, urine As and Cd were not associated with reduced BMD (T-score < -1 SD). We observed a non-linear dose-response of Se and reduced BMD, showing an inverse association below ~105 µg/L, which became increasingly positive above ~105 µg/L. The evaluated subgroups did not show differential associations. In prospective analysis, while we also observed a U-shape dose-response of Se with the incidence of osteoporosis-related bone fractures, the positive association above ~105 µg/L was markedly stronger, compared to the cross-sectional analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support that Se, but not As and Cd, was associated to BMD-related disease. The association of Se and BMD-related disease was non-linear, including a strong positive association with osteoporosis-related bone fractures risk at the higher Se exposure range. Considering the substantial burden of bone loss in elderly populations, additional large prospective studies are needed to confirm the relevance of our findings to bone loss prevention in the population depending on Se exposure levels.

[Differential health effects of alcoholic beverages: an umbrella review of observational studies.] / Tipos de bebidas alcohólicas y efectos diferenciados en la salud: una revisión paraguas de estudios observacionales.

BACKGROUND: There is great controversy about whether the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverages has different effects on health. The objective was to carry out an umbrella review of the studies that described the association between the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverages and various health indicators. METHODS: Search through PubMed (from January 2000 to February 2019) of systematic reviews and meta-analysis that reported quantitative results of the association between the consumption of different types of alcoholic beverages and health effects. 26 studies were identified: 21 related to cancer, three to cardiometabolic diseases, two to neurodegenerative diseases, and one to general mortality. RESULTS: The results were heterogeneous. The great methodological differences in the estimation of alcohol intake, control of confounding variables, and the evaluation of statistical difference between types of beverages, made it very difficult to conclude whether they cause an unequal effect on health. In general mortality and cardiometabolic diseases, it was suggested that beer and spirits appear to have a greater negative effect than wine, but the differences were not statistically significant. Regarding cancer, in those types where the causal evidence is totally consistent: oropharynx, colorectal and breast (women), the reviews did not show a differentiated effect according to the type of alcoholic beverages. Regarding neurodegenerative diseases, the available information did not allow clear conclusions to be drawn. CONCLUSIONS: The reviewed evidence does not allow to conclude that the consumption of wine, beer or spirits, has a differential effect on cardiometabolic, cancer or neurodegenerative diseases.

OBJETIVO: Existe gran controversia sobre si el consumo de diversos tipos de bebidas alcohólicas tiene efectos diferenciados en la salud. El objetivo de este estudio fue realizar una revisión paraguas de los estudios que describían la asociación del consumo de diferentes tipos de bebidas alcohólicas con diversos indicadores de salud. METODOS: Se realizó una búsqueda a través de PubMed (entre enero de 2000 y febrero de 2019) de revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis que reportaban resultados cuantitativos de la asociación entre el consumo de diferentes tipos de bebidas alcohólicas y efectos en salud. Se identificaron 26 estudios: veintiuno estaban relacionados con cáncer, tres con enfermedades cardiometabólicas, dos con neurodegenerativas y uno con mortalidad general. RESULTADOS: Los resultados fueron heterogéneos. Las grandes diferencias metodológicas en la estimación de la ingesta de alcohol, el control de las variables confusoras y el contraste de las estimaciones entre el tipo de bebidas hacían muy difícil concluir sobre si provocaban un efecto desigual en la salud. En la mortalidad general y las enfermedades cardiometabólicas, aunque parece que la cerveza y los licores tenían un mayor efecto negativo que el vino, las diferencias entre tipos de bebidas no eran estadísticamente significativas. Respecto al cáncer, en aquellos tipos cuya evidencia causal era totalmente consistente (orofaringe, colorrectal y de mama [mujeres]), las revisiones no mostraban un efecto diferenciado según los tipos de bebidas alcohólicas. Respecto a las enfermedades neurodegenerativas, la información disponible tampoco permitía establecer claras conclusiones. CONCLUSIONES: La evidencia revisada no permite afirmar que el consumo de vino, cerveza o licores tenga un efecto diferencial en las enfermedades cardiometabólicas, las neurodegenerativas o el cáncer.

[Cardiovascular risk profiles by occupation in Madrid region, Spain]. / Perfiles de exposición de riesgo cardiovascular según la ocupación laboral en la Comunidad de Madrid.

BACKGROUND: It is well known the association between cardiovascular risks and life styles. In addition, all these factors could be strongly associated with working conditions. The aim of this study was to describe the association between some cardiovascular risk factors and occupations in order to define strategies focused on health promotion at workplace. METHOD: 16.048 questionnaires were analysed from the Surveillance System for Non-transmissible Diseases Risk Factors (SIVFRENT) for Madrid region. The surveys of eight consecutive years (2000-2007) were aggregated and analysed. Seven risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were studied (diet, overweight, sedentary work, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco consumption and high blood pressure). An indicator of exposure was created based on these seven risk factors. The association between cardiovascular risk factors and occupations was calculated for age and gender effects adjustment. RESULTS: Sedentary work (prevalence: 44,2%) and tobacco consumption (prevalence: 33,1%) were the most common risk factors found . To accumulate more than two cardiovascular risk factors was statistically higher in men (27,4%) than in women (15%). The highest risk was found for tree occupations: Drivers (OR:1,78; 95% CI:1,45-2,18), Administrative secretaries (OR:1,83; 95% CI:1,64-2,05) and Direction managers(OR:1,25; 95% CI:1,09-1,44). CONCLUSIONS: Drives, Secretaries and Managers seem to have a higher vulnerability for some cardiovascular risk factors.

Smoking attributable mortality in the community of Madrid: 1992-1998.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of smokers and the number of cigarettes consumed per person-year in Madrid is above the European average. To evaluate the impact of smoking in public health smoking attributable mortality was estimated for 1998 and for changes since 1992. METHODS: The number of smoking attributable deaths and years of potential life lost attributable to cigarette smoking for 1992 and 1998 by gender and age group were estimated, based on the population attributable fraction. The relative risks of the Cancer Prevention Study II were used. To compare the two periods of study, a Poisson regression analysis adjusted by age was applied. RESULTS: In 1998, 15.9% of total mortality in the population older than 34 years was attributable to smoking. Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the main causes of death in both genders. In the period studied, 1992-1998, the adjusted rates diminished in men in both age groups, while in women they increased in the age group 35 to 64 years. The mortality from lung cancer remained stable in men, increasing in women by 12%. The years of potential life lost decreased by 14% in men and increased by 42% in women. CONCLUSIONS: One in four deaths in men and one in 36 deaths in women are attributed to cigarette smoking. The smoking attributable mortality in males has tended to stabilize, while in women premature mortality is increasing. KEY POINTS: Smoking attributable mortality was estimated for 1998 and for changes since 1992 to evaluate the impact of smoking in the population older than 34 years. MAIN RESULTS: In the period studied, 1992-1998, the adjusted mortality rates attributable to smoking diminished in men, while in women they increased in the age group 35 to 64 years. The main causes of Smoking attributable mortality are Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in both genders. The mortality from lung cancer remained stable in men, increasing in women by 12%. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: In the Community of Madrid, health promotion programmes to reduce cigarette smoking need to be intensified, specially in women.