title: Snus (Swedish smokeless tobacco) use and risk of stroke: pooled analyses of incidence and survival.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Snus is a moist smokeless tobacco product with high nicotine content. Its use has a short-term effect on the cardiovascular system, but the relationship between snus use and stroke is unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the associations between use of snus and incidence of and survival after stroke, both overall and according to subtypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pooled analyses of eight Swedish prospective cohort studies were conducted, including 130 485 men who never smoked. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of incidence and death after diagnosis using Cox proportional hazard regression models and case fatality and survival using logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier methods, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No associations were observed between the use of snus and the risk of overall stroke (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.92-1.17) or of any of the stroke subtypes. The odds ratio (OR) of 28-day case fatality was 1.42 (95% CI 0.99-2.04) amongst users of snus who had experienced a stroke, and the HR of death during the follow-up period was 1.32 (95% CI 1.08-1.61).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of snus was not associated with the risk of stroke. Hence, nicotine is unlikely to contribute importantly to the pathophysiology of stroke. However, case fatality was increased in snus users, compared with nonusers, but further studies are needed to determine any possible causal mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hansson
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Galanti
authors.forename: M-P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hergens
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fredlund
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahlbom
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alfredsson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellocco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Engström
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hallqvist
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hedblad
authors.forename: J-H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Trolle Lagerros
authors.forename: P-O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ostergren
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magnusson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000009:adverse effects; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine
keywords: smokeless tobacco; snus; stroke