title: Risk relation between rhinitis and acute ischemic stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic inflammation that triggers endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis may promote the evolution of cardiovascular diseases, including acute ischemic stroke (AIS). In this study, we assessed the association between rhinitis (RN), an immunoglobulin E-related atopic disease, and the risk of AIS.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a Taiwan national insurance claims data set of 1 million enrollees to distinguish 61,899 patients with RN and 123,798 randomly selected age- and sex-matched controls from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2010. Both cohorts were followed up until the occurrence of stroke or the end of follow-up. The risk of AIS was evaluated by using the Cox proportional hazards regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After adjustment of the relevant covariates, the RN group showed a lower risk of AIS (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.74 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.70-0.79]) compared with the control cohort at the end of follow-up. Among the participants without comorbidities, the RN cohort still had a lower risk of AIS compared with the control cohort (aHR 0.69 [95% CI, 0.59-0.81]). Moreover, in the three stratified age groups, RN was associated with a significantly decreased risk of AIS (ages ≤49 years: aHR 0.77 [95% CI, 0.63-0.95]; ages 50-64 years: aHR 0.72 [95% CI, 0.64-0.81]; ages ≥65 years: aHR 0.78 [95% CI, 0.71-0.85]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RN was associated with a decreased risk of developing AIS. Although a reduction in risk of AIS was observed, it warrants further consideration to prevent AIS in patients with RN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.forename: Jiunn-Horng
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Cheng-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chia-Hung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011159:Population Surveillance; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012306:Risk; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology