Ischemic stroke risk and passive exposure to spouses' cigarette smoking. Melbourne Stroke Risk Factor Study (MERFS) Group.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the association between ischemic stroke risk and passive exposure to cigarette smoking.


METHODS
Risk factors among 452 hospitalized cases of first-episode ischemic stroke were compared with 452 age- and sex-matched "neighbor-hood" controls.


RESULTS
The risk of stroke was twice as high for subjects whose spouses smoked as for those whose spouses did not smoke (95% confidence interval = 1.3, 3.1), after adjustment for the subject's own smoking, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and education level. These results were confirmed when analysis was limited to those who never smoked.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide evidence that spousal smoking may be a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke.
You
R X
RX
National Stroke Research Institute, Austin, Australia.
Thrift
A G
AG
McNeil
J J
JJ
Davis
S M
SM
Donnan
G A
GA
D000368:Aged; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D018454:Spouses; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014739:Victoria
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution