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Cardiovascular health

The coffee paradox in stroke: increased consumption linked to fewer strokes

D S Liebeskind et al, 2015
Nutritional Neuroscience published online ahead of print
June 23, 2015

ABSTRACT:

Objective:

To determine the association in amount of daily coffee consumption with incidence of stroke in a broad cohort, considering other vascular risk factors.

Methods:

We utilized the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994; NHANES III) data on participants aged ≥17 years old to examine coffee consumption and stroke. Multivariate logistic regression models related the amount of coffee use reported in a food frequency questionnaire with stroke, controlling for other vascular risk factors.

Results:

Of 33 994 NHANES III subjects, coffee consumption and stroke data in adults ≥17 years old were available in 19 994. Daily coffee consumption ranged from 0 to 20 (median 1) cups and 644 (3.2%) participants had a stroke diagnosed by a physician. Coffee intake varied with age, gender, and ethnicity (P < 0.001). Interestingly, heart failure, diabetes, and hypertension were less frequent, and high cholesterol more frequent in those consuming ≥3 cups per day (P < 0.001). Smoking was more frequent in all coffee drinkers (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analyses revealed an independent effect of heavier coffee consumption (≥3 cups/day) on reduced stroke (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22–0.87, P < 0.02) in healthy subjects that was attenuated by vascular risk factors (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.58–1.07, P ≈ 0.12).

Conclusion:

Heavier daily coffee consumption is associated with decreased stroke prevalence, despite smoking tendency in heavy coffee drinkers.

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