title: Respiratory illness, beta-agonists, and risk of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The Washington, DC, Dilated Cardiomyopathy Study.
abstract: An epidemiologic study was carried out to examine the possible role of beta-agonists and other respiratory medications in the development of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. Associations with respiratory medications, bronchial asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis were examined by comparing newly diagnosed cases (n = 129) ascertained from five Washington, DC, area hospitals for the period 1990-1992 with neighborhood controls (n = 258) identified by using a random digit dialing technique. The cases and controls were matched on sex and 5-year age intervals and were compared in the analysis using conditional logistic regression methods. A statistically significant association was observed between idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and history of emphysema or chronic bronchitis (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 4.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-12.4). The association with bronchial asthma was of borderline significance (adjusted OR = 1.9, 95% CI 0.9-4.2). Associations were also observed with use of oral beta-agonists (adjusted OR = 3.4, 95% CI 1.1-11.0) and beta-agonist inhalers or nebulization (adjusted OR = 3.2, 95% CI 1.4-7.1), as well as with use of oral corticosteroids, inhaled corticosteroids or cromolyn, and theophylline medications. A total of 20.0% (23 of 115) of the cases had a reported history of beta-agonist inhaler use compared with 6.7% (17 of 254) of the controls. The strength of these associations was diminished when the temporal relation between exposure to beta-agonist inhalers or oral preparations and clinical diagnosis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy was taken into account, however, and the associations with duration of beta-agonist medication use were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The results of this study suggest, but do not prove, that use of beta-agonists has an etiologic role in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Coughlin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Metayer
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Mather
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Waldhorn
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Gersh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: DuPraw
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Baughman
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D005938:Glucocorticoids