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Biomedical subjects

B A Rosner

Publications and source records attributed to B A Rosner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A prospective study of postmenopausal hormone use and ovarian cancer risk.

The relationship between postmenopausal hormone use (PMH) and ovarian cancer risk is unclear, particularly for specific hormone formulations, but recent studies suggest that there is a positive association. We conducted a prospective observational study with 82,905 postmenopausal women, including 389 ovarian cancers, in the Nurses' Health Study from 1976 to 2002. Compared with never users of PMH, both current and past users of > or =5 years had a significantly elevated risk of ovarian cancer (RR=1.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.86 and relative risk (RR)=1.52, 95% CI 1.01-2.27, respectively). Examined by hormone type in continuous years, use of unopposed estrogen was associated with a significant increase in the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (P for trend <0.001; RR for 5-year increment of use=1.25, 95% CI 1.12-1.38). Use of estrogen plus progestin (RR for 5-year increment of use=1.04, 95% CI 0.82-1.32) was not significantly associated with ovarian cancer risk. Generally, results were similar for serous tumours (RR for 5-year increment of unopposed estrogen use=1.23, 95% CI 1.07-1.40) and slightly stronger for endometrioid tumours (RR for 5-year increment of unopposed estrogen use=1.53, 95% CI 1.20-1.94). Recency of use was not significantly associated with ovarian cancer risk, but statistical power was limited here.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMed2004

An autosomal genome scan for loci influencing longitudinal burden of body mass index from childhood to young adulthood in white sibships: The Bogalusa Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine genetic loci linked to a long-term burden and trend of obesity traits, such as body mass index (BMI), from childhood to adulthood. DESIGN: : Longitudinal study using serial measurements of BMI from childhood. SUBJECTS: A total of 782 unselected white siblings (representing 521 full and 39 half sib-pairs) from 342 families enrolled in the Bogalusa Heart Study. MEASUREMENTS: A total of 357 microsatellite markers with an average spacing of 9.0 cM spanning the 22 autosomal chromosomes were typed. A quadratic growth curve was developed using a random effects model based on serial measurements of BMI from childhood to adulthood. The serial changes in BMI were measured in terms of long-term burden (area under the curve (AUC) divided by follow-up years) and the long-term trend (incremental AUC, calculated as total AUC-baseline AUC). RESULTS: Heritability estimates of long-term measures were 0.78 for total AUC and 0.43 for incremental AUC. In a variance-component-based multipoint linkage analysis with SOLAR, linkage to the long-term measures of BMI was observed on chromosomes 1, 5, 7, 12, 13 and 18. For total AUC, LOD scores were 3.0 at 110 cM on chromosome 12, 2.9 at 26 cM and 2.4 at 52 cM on chromosome 7, and 2.2 at 126 cM on chromosome 5. For incremental AUC, LOD scores were 2.9 at 26 cM, 2.1 at 97 cM and 2.3 at 110 cM on chromosome 12, 2.2 at 69 cM on chromosome 7, 2.2 at 91 cM and 2.5 at 150 cM on chromosome 1, 2.0 at 119 cM on chromosome 5, 2.0 at 54 cM on chromosome 13 and 2.0 at 7 cM on chromosome 18. Several important obesity-related candidate genes are located in the regions or near the markers showing positive linkage. CONCLUSION: Linkage evidence found in this study indicates that regions on these chromosomes might harbor genetic loci that affect the propensity to develop obesity from childhood.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Risk of ovarian carcinoma and consumption of vitamins A, C, and E and specific carotenoids: a prospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antioxidant vitamins may decrease risk of cancer by limiting oxidative DNA damage leading to cancer initiation. Few prospective studies have assessed relations between antioxidant vitamins and ovarian carcinoma. METHODS: The authors prospectively assessed consumption of vitamins A, C, and E and specific carotenoids, as well as fruit and vegetable intake, in relation to ovarian carcinoma risk among 80,326 participants in the Nurses' Health Study who had no history of cancer other than nonmelanoma skin carcinoma. Women reported on known and suspected ovarian carcinoma risk factors including reproductive factors, smoking, and use of vitamin supplements on biennial mailed questionnaires from 1976 to 1996. Food frequency questionnaires were included in 1980, 1984, 1986, and 1990. The authors confirmed 301 incident cases of invasive epithelial ovarian carcinoma during 16 years of dietary follow-up (1980-1996). Pooled logistic regression was used to control for age, oral contraceptive use, body mass index, smoking history, parity, and tubal ligation. RESULTS: The authors observed no association between ovarian carcinoma risk and antioxidant vitamin consumption from foods, or foods and supplements together. The multivariate relative risks (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for ovarian carcinoma among women in the highest versus lowest quintile of intake were 1.04 (95% CI, 0.72-1.51) for vitamin A from foods and supplements; 1.01 (95% CI, 0.69-1.47) for vitamin C; 0.88 (95% CI, 0.61-1.27) for vitamin E; and 1.10 (95% CI, 0.76-1.59) for beta-carotene. Among users of vitamin supplements, the authors found no evidence of an association between dose or duration of any specific vitamin and ovarian carcinoma risk, although the authors had limited power to assess these relations. No specific fruits or vegetables were associated significantly with ovarian carcinoma risk. The authors found no association between ovarian carcinoma and consumption of total fruits or vegetables, or specific subgroups including cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, legumes, or citrus fruits. Women who consumed at least 2.5 total servings of fruits and vegetables as adolescents had a 46% reduction in ovarian carcinoma risk (relative risk, 0.54, 95% CI, 0.29-1.03; P value for trend 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: These data do not support an important relation between consumption of antioxidant vitamins from foods or supplements, or intake of fruits and vegetables, and incidence of ovarian carcinoma in this cohort. However, modest associations cannot be excluded, and the authors' finding of an inverse association for total fruit and vegetable intake during adolescence raises the possibility that the pertinent exposure period may be much earlier than formerly anticipated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Prospective study of recreational physical activity and ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that physical activity may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer by decreasing estrogen levels, reducing body fat, and reducing the frequency of ovulation. Epidemiologic studies of this relationship have obtained inconsistent results. The only prospective study to date reported a positive association between frequent vigorous exercise and ovarian cancer risk. We further evaluated this relationship in the Nurses' Health Study cohort. METHODS: Participation in recreational physical activity was assessed by questionnaire in 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, and 1994, with questions assessing exercise frequency, duration, and intensity. Results were adjusted for age, parity, oral contraceptive use, tubal ligation, and other risk factors for ovarian cancer. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: During a 16-year follow-up (from 1980 to 1996), 1.2 million person-years were accrued by 92 825 cohort members, and 377 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer were confirmed. The relative risk (RR) of ovarian cancer for women engaging in recreational physical activity for 7 hours or more per week compared with those reporting less than 1 hour per week was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.49 to 1.32; P(trend) =.59). When both the frequency and intensity of activity were taken into account, activity level was also not associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer. Compared with inactive women, participants reporting high activity in terms of metabolic equivalent task hours (MET hours) were at greater risk of ovarian cancer (RR for 20 to <30 MET hours/week = 1.84 [95% CI = 1.12 to 3.02]; RR for >30 MET hours/week = 1.27 [95% CI = 0.75 to 2.14]). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, results did not suggest an inverse association between recreational physical activity and ovarian cancer. The possibility of a modest increase in risk with frequent vigorous activity requires further investigation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Being breastfed in infancy and breast cancer incidence in adult life: results from the two nurses' health studies.

Events during perinatal and early life may influence the incidence of breast cancer in adult life, and some case-control studies suggest that having been breastfed may reduce breast cancer risk. The authors studied this association among premenopausal and postmenopausal women by using data from the two Nurses' Health Studies, the Nurses' Health Study (using data from 1992 to 1996) and the Nurses' Health Study II (using data from 1991 to 1997). A history of being breastfed was self-reported by the study participants. During a total of 695,655 person-years, 1,073 cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed. The authors did not observe any important overall association between having been breastfed and the development of breast cancer later in life among premenopausal women (covariate-adjusted relative risk = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78, 1.20) or postmenopausal women (covariate-adjusted relative risk = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.92, 1.37). No significant trend was observed with increasing duration of breastfeeding. The authors also used data on breastfeeding retrospectively collected from 2,103 mothers of participants of the two Nurses' Health Studies. With the mothers' reports, the covariate-adjusted odds ratio of breast cancer was 1.11 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.39) for women who were breastfed compared with those who were not. Data from these two large cohorts do not support the hypothesis that being breastfed confers protection against subsequent breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Analysis of longitudinally observed irregularly timed multivariate outcomes: regression with focus on cross-component correlation.

Components of repeatedly observed multivariate outcomes (for example, the two components of blood pressure measures (SBP(it), DBP(it)), obtained on subject i at arbitrarily spaced times t) are often analysed separately. We present a unified approach to regression analysis of such irregularly timed multivariate longitudinal data, with particular attention to assessment of the magnitude and durability of cross-component correlation. Maximum likelihood estimates are presented for component-specific regression parameters and autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions. The component-specific autocorrelation function has the 'damped exponential' form [see text], which generalizes the AR(1), MA(1) and random intercept models for univariate longitudinal outcomes. The cross-component correlation function (CCCF) has an analogous form, allowing damped-exponential decay of cross-component correlation as time between repeated measures elapses. Finite sample performance is assessed through simulation studies. The methods are illustrated through blood pressure modelling and construction of multivariate prediction regions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Factors that influence the decision to do an adequate evaluation of a patient with a positive stool for occult blood.

OBJECTIVE: The factors that influence the decision to do an adequate evaluation for a positive test for fecal occult blood in a middle-aged or elderly patient are largely unknown. Our study was undertaken to determine whether factors such as the number of positive Hemoccult II card windows, age, gender, family history of colon cancer, the patient's concern that he or she might have colon cancer, or history of rectal bleeding influence the evaluation performed. METHOD: A mass screening program for colon cancer was performed using unrehydrated Hemoccult II cards in the Boston area. RESULTS: Among the 23,593 Hemoccult II cards returned to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, cards from 1,112 patients (4.7%) were found to be positive for one or more of the six possible card windows. Ninety percent, or 940 patients, over 40 yr of age had follow-up information available. As the number of positive windows increased from one to four, there was a significant trend (p < 0.001) for the adequacy of the evaluation to increase. Family history (p = 0.044) and a patient's worry that he or she might have colon cancer (p = 0.003) significantly improved a patient's chance for an adequate evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: Hemoccult testing is not followed by an adequate evaluation in a significant proportion of patients. Our study points out for the first time that the number of positive Hemoccult windows significantly influences the decision-making.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Drawings by individuals with Williams syndrome: are people different from shapes?

Because it is unclear whether people with Williams syndrome produce drawings that are delayed or deviant, we examined these two possibilities in Draw a Person and figure copying tasks (VMI) in 28 persons with Williams syndrome, 28 with mixed etiologies, and 28 with Down syndrome. All human figures could be classified into discrete stages of drawing development, and in all groups, drawing tasks were significantly correlated with MA. Human figures from participants with Williams syndrome were no more deviant than their counterparts, nor did they show "local-global" differences. Draw a Person scores exceeded VMI scores in the Williams syndrome group, whereas the Down syndrome group showed relative strengths on both drawing tasks, and the mixed group had no profile. Developmental and phenotypic implications of findings are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Prospective study of fruit and vegetable consumption and incidence of colon and rectal cancers.

BACKGROUND: Frequent consumption of fruit and vegetables has been associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer in many observational studies. METHODS: We prospectively investigated the association between fruit and vegetable consumption and the incidence of colon and rectal cancers in two large cohorts: the Nurses' Health Study (88 764 women) and the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study (47 325 men). Diet was assessed and cumulatively updated in 1980, 1984, 1986, and 1990 among women and in 1986 and 1990 among men. The incidence of cancer of the colon and rectum was ascertained up to June or January of 1996, respectively. Relative risk (RR) estimates were calculated with the use of pooled logistic regression models accounting for various potential confounders. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: With a follow-up including 1 743 645 person-years and 937 cases of colon cancer, we found little association of colon cancer incidence with fruit and vegetable consumption. For women and men combined, a difference in fruit and vegetable consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with a covariate-adjusted RR of 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.98-1.05). A difference in vegetable consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with an RR of 1.03 (95% CI = 0.97-1.09). Similar results were obtained for women and men considered separately. A difference in fruit consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with a covariate-adjusted RR for colon cancer of 0.96 (95% CI = 0.89-1.03) among women and 1. 08 (95% CI = 1.00-1.16) among men. For rectal cancer (total, 244 cases), a difference in fruit and vegetable consumption of one additional serving per day was associated with an RR of 1.02 (95% CI = 0.95-1.09) in men and women combined. None of these associations was modified by vitamin supplement use or smoking habits. CONCLUSIONS: Although fruits and vegetables may confer protection against some chronic diseases, their frequent consumption does not appear to confer protection from colon or rectal cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Combining annual blood pressure measurements in childhood to improve prediction of young adult blood pressure.

Tracking correlations of blood pressure (BP) have been reported between levels measured in a single year during both childhood and adulthood. Because of the variability of BP, these correlations increase with the number of visits and measurements per visit in each year. It remains unclear, however, whether such correlations would improve further by combining BP data collected over several years. From 1978-1981, BP was measured annually in a cohort of 339 children in East Boston, MA, at four visits one week apart with three measurements per visit. Of this cohort, then aged 18-26 years, 316 were re-examined in 1989-1990 at three visits one week apart with three measures per visit. Tracking correlations were estimated from levels measured in a single year as well as means averaged over several years in childhood, adjusting for age, year of measurement, as well as smoking, alcohol and oral contraceptive use. Multivariate models were fit to estimate tracking correlations from childhood to young adulthood adjusting for within-person variability. Using a single year in childhood, these were 0.49 in boys and 0.59 in girls for systolic BP and 0.39 and 0.48 for diastolic BP (all p<0.001). Using the long-term average in childhood and adjusting for variability across years, these values were 0.55 in boys and 0.66 in girls for systolic BP and 0.47 and 0.57 for diastolic BP (all p<0.001). We observed concomitant increases in the predictive value of childhood BP for young adult BP. These results suggest that averaging BP over at least two years during childhood increases tracking correlations and improves the prediction of adult values from childhood levels.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and risk of major chronic disease in women.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the overall health effects of adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The healthy eating index (HEI), developed at the US Department of Agriculture, measures how well Americans' diets conform to these guidelines. OBJECTIVE: We tested whether the HEI (scores range from 0 to 100; 100 is best) calculated from food-frequency questionnaires (HEI-f) would predict risk of major chronic disease in women. DESIGN: A total of 67272 US female nurses who were free of major disease completed detailed questionnaires on diet and chronic disease risk factors in 1984 and repeatedly over 12 y. Major chronic disease was defined as fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction or stroke, n = 1365), fatal or nonfatal cancer (n = 5216), or other nontraumatic deaths (n = 496), whichever came first. We also examined cardiovascular disease and cancer as separate outcomes. RESULTS: After adjustment for smoking and other risk factors, the HEI-f score was not associated with risk of overall major chronic disease in women [relative risk (RR) = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.89, 1.06 comparing the highest with the lowest quintile of HEI-f score]. Being in the highest HEI-f quintile was associated with a 14% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk (RR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.72, 1. 03) and was not associated with lower cancer risk (RR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.93, 1.12). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that adherence to the 1995 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as measured by the HEI-f, will have limited benefit in preventing major chronic disease in women.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Serum markers of oxidative stress and severity of diabetic retinopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare serum markers of oxidative stress with diabetic retinopathy severity RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study compared patients with types 1 and 2 diabetes with control subjects in western New York and Pennsylvania. Retinopathy severity was graded from funduscopic fields based on the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study. Serum samples were analyzed for thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities, creatinine, HbA1, and triglycerides. Appropriate analysis of covariance models were performed. RESULTS: TBARS (P = 0.019), triglyceride (P = 0.004), and glucose and HbA1 (both P<0.001) levels were elevated in diabetic patients compared with those in control subjects. SOD (P = 0.003) and GSH-Px (P = 0.046) levels were lower in diabetic patients than in control subjects. No correlation existed between SOD levels and either glucose or HbA1 levels. No significant associations existed between levels of TBARS, SOD, or GSH-Px and severity of diabetic retinopathy There was a significant association between poorer visual acuity and worse retinopathy (P = 0.009), which was only partly explained by macular edema. CONCLUSIONS: Increased levels of TBARS and decreased levels of SOD and GSH-Px were found in diabetic patients compared with those in control subjects, but no significant associations were found between the levels of these substances and severity of retinopathy When duration and type of diabetes and serum HbA1 levels were taken into account, only visual acuity remained associated with more severe retinopathy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Intakes of fruits, vegetables, and related nutrients and the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among women.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is etiologically related to suppressed immune status, and certain nutrients found in fruits and vegetables have been associated with increased immune responses. However, limited information exists on associations between intake of fruits, vegetables, and related nutrients and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma risk. We thus examined these associations among 88,410 women in the Nurses' Health Study cohort who were aged 34-60 years in 1980 and provided dietary information in 1980. During 14 years of follow-up, we documented 199 incident cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Higher intake of fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (P for trend = 0.02); the multivariate relative risk (RR) was 0.62 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.38-1.02] for women who consumed greater than or equal to six servings per day as compared with those consuming less than three servings per day. When fruits and vegetables were examined separately, intake of vegetables rather than fruits was most clearly associated with a reduced risk (P for trend = 0.02 for vegetables; P for trend = 0.16 for fruits); compared with those consuming less than one serving per day, the multivariate RRs were 0.62 (95% CI, 0.35-1.07) for women who consumed greater than or equal to three servings per day of vegetables and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.44-1.12) for women who consumed this amount of fruits. Higher intake of cruciferous vegetables was also associated with a decreased risk (P for trend = 0.03); the multivariate RR was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.40-1.11) for women who consumed greater than or equal to five servings per week as compared with those consuming less than two servings per week. These associations were slightly attenuated when we additionally adjusted for intake of beef, pork, or lamb as a main dish. Intake of dietary fiber from vegetable sources was related to a reduced risk; the multivariate RR was 0.54 (95% CI, 0.34-0.87) for women in the highest quintile as compared with those in the lowest quintile (P for trend = 0.01), and it was slightly attenuated with additional adjustment for saturated and trans unsaturated fats. However, we observed no associations between intakes of specific dietary carotenoids, vitamins A, C, E, and folate, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma risk. Higher intake of vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables, may reduce the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among women.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Dietary fat and protein in relation to risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among women.

BACKGROUND: Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs more frequently in individuals with suppressed immune status, and some types of dietary fat and protein have been associated with decreased immune responses. In this study, we examined the intake of specific types of dietary fat and protein in relation to the risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. METHODS: We documented 199 incident cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a cohort of 88 410 women, who were enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study and were aged 34-60 years in 1980, during 14 years of follow-up. Relative risks of the disease and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated. All P values are two-sided and were considered to be statistically significant for P<.05. RESULTS: Intake of saturated fat was associated with an increase in risk that was not statistically significant; the multivariate relative risk for the highest versus the lowest quintiles of intake was 1.4 (95% CI = 0.7-3.0; P for trend =.42). Intake of beef, pork, or lamb as a main dish was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; the multivariate relative risk for consumption of these meats at least once per day as compared with less than once per week was 2.2 (95% CI = 1.1-4.4; P for trend =.002). Higher intake of trans unsaturated fat was also statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of the disease; the multivariate relative risk for the highest versus the lowest quintiles was 2.4 (95% CI = 1.3-4.6; P for trend =.01). Higher intake of red meat cooked by broiling or barbecuing-but not by roasting, pan-frying, or boiling or stewing-was associated with an increase in risk that was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Greater dietary intake of certain meats and fats was associated with a higher risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. These relationships and their potential mechanisms deserve further examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

A prospective study of folate intake and the risk of breast cancer.

CONTEXT: Folate is involved in DNA synthesis and methylation and may reduce breast cancer risk, particularly among women with greater alcohol consumption. OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between folate intake and risk of breast cancer and whether higher folate intake may reduce excess risk among women who consume alcohol. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study performed in 1980, with 16 years of follow-up. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 88818 women who completed the dietary questionnaire section of the Nurses' Health Study in 1980. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Incidence of invasive breast cancer by levels of folate and alcohol intake. RESULTS: A total of 3483 cases of breast cancer were documented. Total folate intake was not associated with overall risk of breast cancer. However, among women who consumed at least 15 g/d of alcohol, the risk of breast cancer was highest among those with low folate intake. For total folate intake of at least 600 microg/d compared with 150 to 299 microg/d, the multivariate relative risk (RR) was 0.55 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39-0.76; P for trend = .001). This association was only slightly attenuated after additional adjustment for intake of beta carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, preformed vitamin A, and total vitamins C and E. The risk of breast cancer associated with alcohol intake was strongest among women with total folate intake of less than 300 microg/d (for alcohol intake > or =15 g/d vs <15 g/d, multivariate RR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.15-1.50). For women who consumed at least 300 microg/d of total folate, the multivariate RR for intake of at least 15 g/d of alcohol vs less than 15 g/d was 1.05 (95% CI, 0.92-1.20). Current use of multivitamin supplements, the major source of folate, was associated with lower breast cancer risk among women who consumed at least 15 g/d of alcohol (for current users of supplements vs never users, RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.59-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the excess risk of breast cancer associated with alcohol consumption may be reduced by adequate folate intake.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

A prospective study of egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in men and women.

CONTEXT: Reduction in egg consumption has been widely recommended to lower blood cholesterol levels and prevent coronary heart disease (CHD). Epidemiologic studies on egg consumption and risk of CHD are sparse. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between egg consumption and risk of CHD and stroke in men and women. DESIGN AND SETTING: Two prospective cohort studies, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1986-1994) and the Nurses' Health Study (1980-1994). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 37851 men aged 40 to 75 years at study outset and 80082 women aged 34 to 59 years at study outset, free of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, or cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incident nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal CHD, and stroke corresponding to daily egg consumption as determined by a food-frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: We documented 866 incident cases of CHD and 258 incident cases of stroke in men during 8 years of follow-up and 939 incident cases of CHD and 563 incident cases of stroke in women during 14 years of follow-up. After adjustment for age, smoking, and other potential CHD risk factors, we found no evidence of an overall significant association between egg consumption and risk of CHD or stroke in either men or women. The relative risks (RRs) of CHD across categories of intake were less than 1 per week (1.0), 1 per week (1.06), 2 to 4 per week (1.12), 5 to 6 per week (0.90), and > or =1 per day (1.08) (P for trend = .75) for men; and less than 1 per week (1.0), 1 per week (0.82), 2 to 4 per week (0.99), 5 to 6 per week (0.95), and > or =1 per day (0.82) (P for trend = .95) for women. In subgroup analyses, higher egg consumption appeared to be associated with increased risk of CHD only among diabetic subjects (RR of CHD comparing more than 1 egg per day with less than 1 egg per week among diabetic men, 2.02 [95% confidence interval, 1.05-3.87; P for trend = .04], and among diabetic women, 1.49 [0.88-2.52; P for trend = .008]). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that consumption of up to 1 egg per day is unlikely to have substantial overall impact on the risk of CHD or stroke among healthy men and women. The apparent increased risk of CHD associated with higher egg consumption among diabetic participants warrants further research.

Adult↗