The risk of hemochromatosis among first- and second-generation immigrants: a cohort study of the total population in Sweden.

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the risk of hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) among first-generation and second-generation immigrants in Sweden using Swedish-born individuals and Swedish-born individuals with Swedish-born parents as referents, respectively. Methods: All individuals aged 18 years of age and older, n = 6,180,500 in the first-generation study, and n = 4,589,930 in the second-generation study were included in the analyses. HH was defined as at least one registered diagnosis International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (E83.1) in the National Patient Register between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2018. Cox regression was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 99% confidence intervals (CI) owing to multiple testing, of incident HH with adjustments for age, cancer, other comorbidities, and socio-demographics. Results: In the first-generation study, there were 5,112 cases of HH, and in the second-generation study 4,626 cases of HH. The adjusted HRs for first-generation men and women overall were 0.72 (99% CI: 0.63-0.82) and 0.61 (99% CI: 0.52-0.72), respectively, and for the second-generation men and women 0.72 (99% CI: 0.62-0.83) and 0.97 (99% CI: 0.83-1.14), respectively, with a higher risk found only among first-generation men from Western Europe, HR 1.47 (99% CI: 1.05-2.06), compared to the control group. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the overall risk of HH was lower among both first-generation and second-generation immigrants when compared to individuals born in Sweden or with Swedish-born parents. An elevated risk for HH was observed exclusively among first-generation men originating from Western Europe. These findings represent new knowledge and should be of global interest.

The predictive value of cardiovascular outcomes and mortality assessed by the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio in the UK Biobank.

BACKGROUND: The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) seems to mirror disease severity and prognosis in several acute disorders particularly in elderly patients, yet less is known about if CAR is superior to C-reactive protein (CRP) in the general population. METHODS: Prospective study design on the UK Biobank, where serum samples of CRP and Albumin were used. Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and heart failure over a follow-up period of approximately 12.5 years. The Cox model was adjusted for established cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, including age, sex, smoking habits, physical activity level, BMI level, systolic blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, statin treatment, diabetes, and previous CVD, with hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Analyses were also stratified by sex, CRP level (< 10 and ≥ 10 mg/ml) and age (< 60 and ≥ 60 years). RESULTS: In total, 411,506 individuals (186,043 men and 225,463 women) were included. In comparisons between HRs for all adverse outcomes, the results were similar or identical for CAR and CRP. For example, both CAR and CRP, adjusted HRs for all-cause mortality were 1.13 (95% CI 1.12-1.14). Regarding CVD mortality, the adjusted HR for CAR was 1.14 (95% CI 1.12-1.15), while for CRP, it was 1.13 (95% CI 1.11-1.15). CONCLUSIONS: Within this study CAR was not superior to CRP in predictive ability of mortality or CVD disorders. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable (cohort study).

Relationships between Charlson comorbidity index associated biomarkers and outcomes among participants in the Malmö diet and cancer study.

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to evaluate two biomarker scores trained to identify comorbidity burden in the prediction of specified chronic morbidities, and mortality in the general population. METHODS: Cardiovascular biomarkers were measured in the cardiovascular cohort of the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study. A score of 19 biomarkers associated with Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was created (BSMDC). Individuals with CCI diagnoses and other major comorbidities were excluded. Another score of 11 biomarkers associated with comorbidity burden from a previous study of acute dyspnea was also created (BSADYS). The scores were prospectively evaluated for prediction of mortality, and some chronic diseases, using Cox Proportional Hazards Model. RESULTS: Fully adjusted models showed that BSMDC was significantly associated per 1 SD increment of the score with incident COPD, 55%, and congestive heart failure, 32%; and with mortality, 33% cardiovascular, 91% respiratory, 30% cancer, and 45% with all-cause mortality. The BSADYS showed no association with these outcomes, after simultaneous inclusion of both biomarker scores to all the clinical covariates. CONCLUSION: BSMDC shows strong prediction of morbidity and mortality in individuals free from comorbidities at baseline, and the results suggest that healthy individuals with high level of BSMDC would benefit from intense preventive actions.

A score of 19 biomarkers associated with Charlson Comorbidity Index was created, the Biomarker Score of Malmö Diet and Cancer study (BSMDC).The created BSMDC index was associated with both incident COPD, and incident CHF.BSMDC was also associated with cardiovascular mortality, respiratory mortality, cancer mortality and with all-cause mortality.

The C-reactive protein Albumin ratio was not consistently associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in two community-based cohorts of 70-year-olds.

C-reactive protein (CRP)/Albumin ratio (CAR) seems to mirror disease severity and prognosis in several acute disorders particularly in elderly patients, which we aimed to study. As method we use a prospective study design; the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS; n = 912, women 50%; mean age 70 years, baseline 2001 and 2004, median follow-up 15.0 years, end of follow-up 2019) and the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men (ULSAM, n = 924 mean age 71 years, baseline 1991-1995, median follow-up 15.6 years, end of follow-up 2016). Serum samples were used for analyses of CRP and Albumin. Cox regression analyses were performed for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in models adjusting for several factors (age; physical activity; Interleukin-6; cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors: smoking, BMI level, systolic blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, and diabetes), with 95% confidence interval (CI). When adjusting for age and CVD risk factors, CAR was significantly associated with cardiovascular mortality for meta-analyzed results from PIVUS and ULSAM, HR 1.09 (95% 1.01-1.18), but neither in PIVUS (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99-1.31) nor in ULSAM (1.07, 95% CI 0.98-1.17). Additionally, CAR was significantly associated with all-cause mortality in ULSAM 1.31 (95% CI 1.12-1.54) but not in PIVUS HRs 1.01 (95% 0.089-1.15). The predictive value of CAR was similar to CRP alone in PIVUS and ULSAM and slightly better than albumin for the prediction of CVD-mortality in ULSAM. In conclusion, CAR was not consistently associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in the two cohorts. The prognostic value of CAR for long-term CVD-mortality was similar to CRP.

Diabetes risk during pregnancy among second-generation immigrants: A national cohort study in Sweden.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Gestational diabetes is more common in many first-generation immigrant women in Europe and other Western countries. Less is known about second-generation immigrant women; such knowledge is needed to understand generational influences on diabetes risk. We aimed to study second-generation immigrant women regarding the presence of all types of diabetes during pregnancy. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cohort study was conducted using the Swedish National Birth Register, the National Patient Register, and the Total Population Register. We used Cox regression analysis to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 99% confidence intervals (99% CI) for any diabetes during pregnancy and specific subtypes (gestational diabetes, pre-existing diabetes type 1, pre-existing diabetes type 2) in second-generation immigrant women compared with Swedish-born women with two Swedish-born parents while adjusting for sociodemographic factors, family history of diabetes, body mass index, smoking habits, and comorbidities. The study population included a total of 989,986 deliveries and 17,938 diabetes cases. The fully adjusted HR (with 99% CI) for any type of diabetes during pregnancy among second-generation immigrant women was 1.11 (1.05-1.18). Higher risks were found in women with parents from Africa, Asia, or Eastern Europe, as well as Denmark. A lower risk for pre-existing type 1 diabetes was found overall and for women with parents from most geographic regions. CONCLUSION: In this national cohort study, the risk of all types of diabetes during pregnancy was increased in second-generation immigrant women. Diabetes prevention and treatment is especially important in these women both before and during pregnancy.

Hypertension management in primary health care: a survey in eight regions of Sweden.

PURPOSE: To explore hypertension management in primary healthcare (PHC). DESIGN: Structured interviews of randomly selected PHC centres (PHCCs) from December 2019 to January 2021. SETTING: Seventy-six PHCCs in eight regions of Sweden. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Staffing and organization of hypertension care. Methods of measuring blood pressure (BP), laboratory tests, registration of co-morbidities and lifestyle advice at diagnosis and follow-up. RESULTS: The management of hypertension varied among PHCCs. At diagnosis, most PHCCs (75%) used the sitting position at measurements, and only 13% routinely measured standing BP. One in three (33%) PHCCs never used home BP measurements and 25% only used manual measurements. The frequencies of laboratory analyses at diagnosis were similar in the PHCCs. At follow-up, fewer analyses were performed and the tests of lipids and microalbuminuria decreased from 95% to 45% (p < 0.001) and 61% to 43% (p = 0.001), respectively. Only one out of 76 PHCCs did not measure kidney function at routine follow-ups. Lifestyle, physical activity, food habits, smoking and alcohol use were assessed in ≥96% of patients at diagnosis. At follow-up, however, there were fewer assessments. Half of the PHCCs reported dedicated teams for hypertension, 82% of which were managed by nurses. There was a great inequality in the number of patients per tenured GP in the PHCCs (median 2500; range 1300-11300) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The management of hypertension varies in many respects between PHCCs in Sweden. This might lead to inequity in the care of patients with hypertension.

Hypertension is mainly handled in primary healthcare (PHC), and this study shows important dissimilarities in organization and clinical management.Several variants in techniques and measurements of blood pressure were found between PHC centres.Lifestyle, clinical and laboratory assessments decreased at follow-ups compared to at diagnosis, specifically for lipids, microalbuminuria and electrocardiograms.Nearly half of the PHC centres reported that they had dedicated hypertension teams.

Cardiomyopathy among first- and second-generation immigrants in Sweden: a nationwide total population study.

PURPOSE: We aimed to analyze the risk of cardiomyopathies (CMPs) among first-generation and second-generation immigrants. METHODS: All individuals aged 18 years of age and older, n = 6,123,661 in the first-generation study, and n = 4,587,764 in the second-generation study were analyzed. CMP was defined as at least one registered diagnosis in the National Patient Register between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2018. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the relative risk (hazard ratios (HR) with 99% confidence intervals (CI)) of incident CMP with adjustments made for age, cancer, other comorbidities, and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: In the first-generation study, a total of 33,321 CMP cases were registered, 20,780 men and 12,541 women, where the fully adjusted models showed HRs (99% CI) for all foreign-born men of 0.92 (0.86-0.98) and for women of 0.90 (0.83-0.98). For dilated CMP, the risk was higher for men from Nordic countries, more specifically men from Finland, and lower for men and women from Asia. For hypertrophic CMP, the risk was higher for men from Africa and Asia. For other types of CMPs, the risk was lower in men and women from Asia. In the second-generation study, a total of 26,559 cases were registered (17,620 men and 8939 women), with no significant differences overall or among specific groups, when Swedish-born with foreign-born parents were compared to Swedish-born with Swedish-born parents. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a generally lower risk of CMPs among foreign-born individuals, but with a higher risk especially for hypertrophic CMPs for men from Africa and Asia, and a higher risk of dilated CMP for men from Nordic countries.

Systemic diseases and their association with open-angle glaucoma in the population of Stockholm.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to study open-angle glaucoma in association with somatic comorbidities in the total population of adults in Region Stockholm. METHODS: The study population included all living persons aged 19 years and above who resided in Stockholm County, Sweden, on 1 January 2017 (N = 1 703 675). Subjects with specified diseases were identified with data from all registered consultations and hospital stays during 2008-2019. As outcome, the risk of being associated with a diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma was identified during 2012-2018. Analyses were performed by gender, controlling for age and socio-economic status. Age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for women and men with open-angle glaucoma, using individuals without this as referents, were calculated. Socio-economic status was assessed based on the neighbourhood the subjects lived in. RESULTS: In total, 16,299 cases of open-angle glaucoma were identified during 2012-2018, 9204 women and 7095 men. Higher fully adjusted OR (95% CI) for risk of being associated with open-angle glaucoma was for women and men with diabetes 1.138 (1.074-1.207) and 1.216 (1.148-1.289), cancer 1.175 (1.120-1.233) and 1.106 (1.048-1.166), hypertension 1.372 (1.306-1.440) and 1.243 (1.179-1.311); and for women with thyroid diseases 1.086 (1.030-1.146), chronic lung diseases 1.153 (1.093-1.216), and inflammatory arthropathies 1.132 (1.006-1.275). Higher glaucoma incidence was observed in individuals residing in high socio-economic status neighbourhoods. CONCLUSION: The risk of glaucoma is increased in some somatic diseases, especially in individuals with diabetes, hypertension and cancer; and in higher socio-economic neighbourhoods as compared to lower socio-economic neighbourhoods.

The association between BMI and 90-day mortality in patients with and without diabetes seeking care at the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: The impact of body mass index (BMI) on mortality varies with age and disease states. The aim of this research study was to analyse the associations between BMI categories and short- and long-term mortality in patients with or without diabetes seeking care at the emergency department (ED) with acute dyspnoea. POPULATION AND METHODS: Patients aged ≥18 years at ED during daytime on weekdays from March 2013 to July 2018 were included. Participants were triaged according to the Medical Emergency Triage and Treatment System-Adult score (METTS-A), and blood samples were collected. Totally, 1,710 patients were enrolled, with missing values in 113, leaving 1,597 patients, 291 with diabetes and 1,306 without diabetes. The association between BMI and short-term (90-day) and long-term (mean follow-up time 2.1 years) mortality was estimated by Cox regression with normal BMI (18.5-24.9) as referent category, with adjustment for age, sex, METTS-A scoring, glomerular filtration rate, smoking habits and cardiovascular comorbidity in a fully adjusted model. The Bonferroni correction was also used. RESULTS: Regarding long-term mortality, patients with diabetes and BMI category ≥30 kg/m2 had a fully adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.40 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23-0.69), significant after the Bonferroni correction. Amongst patients without diabetes, those with underweight had an increased risk but only of borderline significance, whilst risks in those with overweight or obesity did not differ from reference.Regarding short-term mortality, risks did not differ from reference amongst patients with or without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: We found divergent long-term mortality risks in patients with and without diabetes, with lower risk in obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with diabetes, but no increased risk for patients without diabetes and overweight (BMI: 25-29.9 kg/m2) and obesity.

[Large health benefits can be achieved by better treatment of gout]. / Stora hälsovinster att uppnå med bättre behandling av gikt.

Urate lowering therapy (ULT) should, according to recent guidelines, be initiated in the majority of cases already after the first attack of gout. Allopurinol is the first line choice of ULT and should be started with low dose, which is increased until the treatment target is reached. The treatment target should be a blood urate of < 360 µmol/l or < 300 µmol/l (in the presence of topfi), which should be maintained until topfi have resolved. NSAID/cox-inhibitors, colchicine and glucocorticoids are all valid short-term treatments of gout attacks. ULT should not be paused/terminated during attacks and can be initiated during an attack that is adequately treated. Recent RCTs of ULT treatment have demonstrated the importance of thorough and adequate information to the patient and regular follow-up until treatment targets are reached. Such a strategy improve both compliance and outcomes of ULT treatment.

Levothyroxine treatment is associated with an increased relative risk of overall and organ specific incident cancers - a cohort study of the Swedish population.

High thyroid hormone values have been associated with an increased risk of incident cancers, especially breast cancer but also lung cancer and any solid cancers. We explored whether there is an increased risk of overall and cause-specific cancers in those receiving levothyroxine treatment. We included all individuals ≥ 18 years in Sweden (N = 8,573,313) on January 1 2009, and identified patients with two or more dispensed prescriptions of levothyroxine 2005-2006 (n = 253,193, 3.0 %). A cancer diagnosis in the Swedish Cancer Register 2009-2015 was used as outcome. We excluded patients with a cancer diagnosis before 2005. Cox regression was used (hazard ratios, HRs, and 95 % confidence intervals, CI) with adjustments for age, socioeconomic/neighborhood factors and co-morbidities. Totally 399,751 cases of incident cancer were identified, with a slight increased overall risk associated with levothyroxine treatment for both men, adjusted HR 1.06 (95 % CI 1.03-1.10), and women, adjusted HR 1.08 (95 % CI 1.07-1.10). For men, increased risks were found for cancers of the thyroid gland and other endocrine glands. For women, increased risks were found for cancers of the breast, endometrium, other female genitals (ovaries not included), stomach, colon, liver, pancreas, urinary bladder, skin, leukemia, and unspecified primary tumor. Unlike men, for women, no increased risk was found for cancer of the thyroid gland. In conclusions, levothyroxine treatment was associated with an excess cancer risk, including many different types of cancer, especially among women. Our results need confirmation by other studies, but levothyroxine is recommended to be prescribed only on approved indications.

Cardiovascular events in patients under age fifty with early findings of elevated lipid and glucose levels - The AMORIS study.

BACKGROUND: The long-term trajectories of lipid and glucose levels in subjects who experience a major cardiovascular (CV) event at a young age has not been well studied. Our objective was to investigate lipid, lipoprotein, apolipoprotein (apo), and glucose levels in individuals experiencing a CV event before 50 years of age. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A first CV event [non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), coronary revascularisation, or CV related death] before age 50 was recorded in 2,939 (cumulative incidence 1.2% in males and 0.3% in females) of 361,353 individuals included in the prospective Swedish AMORIS (Apolipoprotein-related MOrtality RISk) study with health examinations 1985-1996 and follow-up through 2011. In a nested case-control analysis, cases with a CV event were matched to randomly selected controls. Population risk factor trajectories were calculated up to 20 years prior to an event. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and glucose levels were higher in cases than in controls as early as 20 years prior to the event with differences increasing over time. Low density lipoprotein, apoB, and the apoB/apoA-1 ratio were higher and increased over time, while HDL and apoA-1 were lower in cases compared to controls. The odds ratio was 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.6-3.7) for TC ≥5 mmol/L and TG ≥1.7 mmol/L in cases versus controls. The adjusted population-attributable fractions including lipids, glucose, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, and obesity indicated that about 50% of CV events before age 50 may be associated with elevated lipid and glucose levels. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated TC, TG, LDL, apoB, and glucose levels and high apoB/apo A-1 ratio documented two decades before a CV event in subjects younger than 50 years may account for about half of CV events before age 50, which calls for early recognition and possibly treatment of modifiable CV risk factors in young individuals.

Barriers and facilitators to participation in a health check for cardiometabolic diseases in primary care: A systematic review.

Background Health checks for cardiometabolic diseases could play a role in the identification of persons at high risk for disease. To improve the uptake of these health checks in primary care, we need to know what barriers and facilitators determine participation. Methods We used an iterative search strategy consisting of three steps: (a) identification of key-articles; (b) systematic literature search in PubMed, Medline and Embase based on keywords; (c) screening of titles and abstracts and subsequently full-text screening. We summarised the results into four categories: characteristics, attitudes, practical reasons and healthcare provider-related factors. Results Thirty-nine studies were included. Attitudes such as wanting to know of cardiometabolic disease risk, feeling responsible for, and concerns about one's own health were facilitators for participation. Younger age, smoking, low education and attitudes such as not wanting to be, or being, worried about the outcome, low perceived severity or susceptibility, and negative attitude towards health checks or prevention in general were barriers. Furthermore, practical issues such as information and the ease of access to appointments could influence participation. Conclusion Barriers and facilitators to participation in health checks for cardiometabolic diseases were heterogeneous. Hence, it is not possible to develop a 'one size fits all' approach to maximise the uptake. For optimal implementation we suggest a multifactorial approach adapted to the national context with special attention to people who might be more difficult to reach. Increasing the uptake of health checks could contribute to identifying the people at risk to be able to start preventive interventions.

Gout and its comorbidities in the total population of Stockholm.

OBJECTIVE: Study of prevalence of gout with concomitant diseases. METHODS: Study population included all living persons in Stockholm County, Sweden, on January 1st 2013 (N=2,124,959). A diagnosis of gout was identified during 2013-2014, with information of diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance, hypertension, chronic heart failure, chronic kidney disease, alcohol abuse, and malignancies. Age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for women and men with gout, using individuals without gout as referents, were calculated. RESULTS: Age-adjusted odds of co-morbidities among individuals with gout vs. those without gout were: diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance 3.97 (95% CI 3.65-4.31) in women and 1.88 (95% CI 1.78-1.99) in men; hypertension 4.02 (95% CI 3.69-4.37) in women and 3.21 (95% CI 3.06-3.37) in men; chronic heart failure 4.72 (95% CI 4.31-5.19) in women and 2.84 (95% CI 2.66-3.04) in men; chronic kidney disease 2.08 (95% CI 1.50-2.87) in women and 2.39 (95% CI 2.15-2.66) in men; alcohol abuse 8.98 (95% CI 8.15-9.80) in women and 4.38 (95% CI 4.10-4.69) in men; and malignancies 1.32 (95% CI 1.17-1.48) in women and 1.13 (95% CI 1.06-1.21) men. CONCLUSION: Gout is a warning sign for concomitant diseases, e.g. alcoholism, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. KEY MESSAGES.

Low anthropometric measures and mortality--results from the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study.

AIM: To study the association between anthropometric measures: body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist-to-hip-to-height ratio (WHHR), and A Body Shape Index (ABSI); to see if individuals in the lowest 5 percentiles for these measures have an increased risk of mortality. METHODS: A population-based prospective cohort study (10,304 men and 16,549 women), the Malmö Diet and Cancer study (MDC), aged 45-73 years. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 14 ± 3 years, 2,224 men and 1,983 women died. There was a significant increased mortality risk after adjustments for potential confounders in the group with the 5% lowest BMI (referent 25%-75%); hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals were 1.33 (1.10-1.61) for women and 1.27 (1.07-1.52) for men. A similar significant increased mortality risk was seen with the 5% lowest percent body fat, HR 1.31 (1.07-1.60) for women and 1.25 (1.04-1.50) for men. Women with an ABSI in the lowest 5 percentiles had a lower mortality risk HR 0.64 (0.48-0.85). CONCLUSION: These results imply that BMI or percent body fat could be used to identify lean individuals at increased mortality risk.

Prevalence, incidence, mortality and co-morbidities amongst human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients in Stockholm County, Sweden - the Greater Stockholm HIV Cohort Study.

Our aim was to study the prevalence and incidence of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the general population in Stockholm, Sweden. We also aimed to study mortality among individuals with HIV and to explore co-morbidities. The study population included all living persons who resided in Stockholm County, Sweden, as of 31 December 2012 (N = 2,212,435). Information on all consultations between 2007 and 2012 was obtained from primary health care, specialist outpatient care and inpatient care. Analyses were done by age and gender. All patients with a recorded diagnosis of HIV were included. The prevalence of HIV was calculated using 2012 data. The prevalence of HIV in Stockholm area as per end of December 2012 was as low as 0.1% in females and 0.2% in males, and the annual incidence of HIV continued to decline over the years. In recent years, cancers, diabetes and hypertension were about as common in individuals with HIV as in the general population. Males with HIV had 3- to 4-fold higher age-adjusted odds of being diagnosed with depression and 3-fold higher odds of anxiety disorders and women had 1.6 to 2-fold higher age-adjusted odds of depression and anxiety disorders, than males and females in the general population, respectively. The relatively good somatic health observed in this study could be attributed to nearly optimal HIV therapy in Sweden. The mental health of HIV patients was significantly worse than that in the general population and needs further attention.

Differences in anthropometric measures in immigrants and Swedish-born individuals: results from two community-based cohort studies.

AIM: To study differences in body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference (WC), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), waist-hip-height ratio (WHHR) and percent body fat in immigrants and Swedish-born men and women in two large population-based samples. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of 60-year-old individuals, n=4 232. To replicate the results, we also assessed another large independent cohort cross-sectionally, the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDC, n=26 777). The data from both cohorts were collected in the 1990s in Sweden. RESULTS: Significant differences between Finnish-born, Middle Eastern and women from the rest of the world were seen for all anthropometric measures, using Swedish-born women as referent. However, WHHR was the only anthropometric measure that identified all these three groups of immigrant women as different from Swedish-born women with high statistical certainty (p<0.001). Apart from WHHR that identified differences in anthropometry in all immigrant groups of men using Swedish-born men as referent, few significant differences were seen in anthropometry among groups of immigrant men. These finding were observed in both cohorts, and remained after adjustments for smoking, physical activity and educational level. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms previous findings of more obesity among immigrants and is the first to report that WHHR measurements may detect anthropometric differences between different ethnic groups better than other anthropometrical measures.

Cardiovascular medication in relation to renal function after coronary artery bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines for recommended medication use for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease are exceedingly important in patients with chronic kidney disease. Despite a high risk for recurrent cardiovascular events, these patients are less likely to use evidence-based recommended medications. The objective of the current study was to analyze the association between renal function and guideline-recommended drug therapy in patients with coronary heart disease. METHODS: In this nationwide population-based cohort study, we included 12,332 patients with established coronary heart disease who underwent primary isolated coronary artery bypass grafting in Sweden between 2005 and 2008. Medication use was retrieved from the national Prescribed Drug Register. RESULTS: During the first year after coronary surgery, 94% of patients had at least two dispensed prescriptions for an antiplatelet agent, 68% for an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin II receptor blocker, 92% for a beta-blocker, and 93% for a statin. Only 57% of all patients had prescriptions for all four medication classes. Reduced renal function (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30 to 45 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) and <30 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)) was significantly associated with a lower use of all four medication classes (adjusted risk ratio 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 0.98; and adjusted risk ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.62 to 0.90, respectively) as compared to normal renal function (eGFR >60 mL/min per 1.73 m(2)). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with established coronary heart disease, moderate to severe renal dysfunction was associated with significantly lower use of guideline-recommend medications as compared to normal renal function.

Seven modifiable lifestyle factors predict reduced risk for ischemic cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality regardless of body mass index: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: A healthy lifestyle has an impact on cardiovascular health. Yet, the importance of body mass index (BMI) and gender remains less clear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether healthy lifestyle factors can predict incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality. METHODS: Representative population-based prospective cohort study of 60-year-old women (n=2193) and men (n=2039). The following factors related to a healthy lifestyle were assessed using a questionnaire: non-smoking, alcohol intake of 0.6-30 g/day, moderate physical activity at least once a week, low intake of processed meats, weekly intake of fish, daily intake of fruit, and daily intake of vegetables. These factors were combined to produce a total score of healthy lifestyle factors (0-7) and classified into four groups: unhealthy (0-2 lifestyle factors), intermediate (3), healthy (4-5), and very healthy (6-7). National registers enabled identification of incident CVD (n=375) and all-cause mortality (n=427) over a follow-up of 11 years. RESULTS: Very healthy women and men exhibited a decreased risk for incident CVD compared with unhealthy individuals, with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for educational level and BMI of 0.44 (0.26-0.75) and 0.39 (0.25-0.61), respectively. The corresponding HRs (95% CIs) for all-cause mortality for very healthy women and men were 0.25 (0.15-0.44) and 0.35 (0.23-0.54), respectively. CONCLUSION: With seven healthy lifestyle factors, it was possible to identify men and women with substantially lower relative risks of incident CVD and death, regardless of BMI and educational level.