Military combat and risk of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke in aging men: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the long-term association of military combat stress with coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischemic stroke (IS).


METHODS
The association between exposure to military combat and the occurrence of CHD and IS was assessed among 5,347 men in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Outcomes were assessed an average of 36 years after entry into military service during the eras of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam conflict.


RESULTS
Veterans were more likely to be older, white, and of higher socioeconomic status than non-veterans. No differences in CHD period prevalence rates were noted among the three exposure groups, overall or by era of service. Associations between combat and ischemic stroke period prevalence may be modified by father's education, although confidence intervals were wide and event rates small.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, middle-aged veterans with distant combat exposure are not at increased cardiovascular risk compared to those without combat exposure.
Johnson
Anna M
AM
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 27514, USA. Anna_Johnson@unc.edu
Rose
Kathryn M
KM
Elder
Glen H
GH
Chambless
Lloyd E
LE
Kaufman
Jay S
JS
Heiss
Gerardo
G
D001741:Black or African American; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044465:White People