title: Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in relation to acute coronary syndrome or stroke nonfatal events: a comparative analysis of a case/case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although the role of Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular disease prevention has long been evaluated and understood, its association with the development of stroke has been rarely examined. The aim of the present work was to comparatively evaluate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the development of an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the period from 2009 to 2010, 1,000 participants were enrolled; 250 were consecutive patients with a first ACS, 250 were consecutive patients with a first ischemic stroke, and 500 population-based, control subjects, 1-for-1 matched to the patients by age and sex. Sociodemographic, clinical, psychological, dietary, and other lifestyle characteristics were measured. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed by the validated MedDietScore (theoretical range 0-55).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After various adjustments were made, it was observed that for each 1-of-55-unit increase of the MedDietScore, the corresponding odds ratio for having an ACS was 0.91 (95% CI 0.87-0.96), whereas regarding stroke, it was 0.88 (95% CI 0.82-0.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present work extended the current knowledge about the cardioprotective benefits from the adoption of the Mediterranean diet by showing an additional protective effect on ischemic stroke development.
authors: School of Medicine, University of Ioannina, Greece.
authors: Christina-Maria
authors: CM
authors: Kastorini
authors: Haralampos J
authors: HJ
authors: Milionis
authors: Aggeliki
authors: A
authors: Ioannidi
authors: Kallirroi
authors: K
authors: Kalantzi
authors: Vassilios
authors: V
authors: Nikolaou
authors: Konstantinos N
authors: KN
authors: Vemmos
authors: John A
authors: JA
authors: Goudevenos
authors: Demosthenes B
authors: DB
authors: Panagiotakos
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*