Background and Purpose-The impact of lipometabolic and glucometabolic disturbances on stroke incidence remains to be characterized in detail. We investigated relations of a comprehensive panel of baseline lipometabolic and glucometabolic variables to incident fatal and nonfatal stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), and stroke subtypes. Methods-A community-based prospective study of 2313 middle-aged men invited to a health survey at age 50. Results-During a follow-up of up to 32 years, 421 developed stroke or TIA. In Cox proportional hazards analyses adjusting for treatment with cardiovascular drugs at baseline, 1-standard deviation increases in body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum proinsulin, and lipoprotein(a) were associated with 11 to 35% increased risk for subsequent stroke/TIA. Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy and smoking were also associated with a higher risk for stroke/TIA. Essentially the same variables were related to brain infarction/TIA. Higher proportions of palmitic (16:0), palmitoleic (16:1), and oleic acid (18:1) in cholesterol esters were associated with an increased risk, whereas a higher proportion of linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) was protective against stroke/TIA. Further adjusting all models also for hypertension, diabetes, the metabolic syndrome, serum cholesterol, atrial fibrillation, cardiovascular disease, smoking, and physical activity, essentially the same pattern was observed. Conclusions-Indices of an unhealthy dietary fat intake and a high serum lipoprotein (a) level predicted fatal and nonfatal stroke/TIA independently of established risk factors in a community-based sample of middle-aged men followed for 32 years. (Stroke. 2006;37:2898-2903.)

Impaired performance in elderly men measured by Trail Making Test B, a cognitive test especially reflecting subcortico-frontal activities, was an independent predictor of subsequent brain infarction in this community-based sample of elderly men. Our results extend previous findings of cognitive decline as an independent predictor of stroke and indicate that the risk of brain infarction is increased already in the subclinical phase of cognitive deficit.

Background Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating disease, with high mortality rate and substantial disability among survivors. Its causes are poorly understood. We aimed to investigate risk factors for SAH using a novel nationwide cohort consortium. Methods We obtained individual participant data of 949 683 persons (330 334 women) between 25 and 90 years old, with no history of SAH at baseline, from 21 population-based cohorts. Outcomes were obtained from the Swedish Patient and Causes of Death Registries. Results During 13 704 959 person-years of follow-up, 2659 cases of first-ever fatal or non-fatal SAH occurred, with an age-standardized incidence rate of 9.0 [95% confidence interval (CI) (7.4–10.6)/100 000 person-years] in men and 13.8 [(11.4–16.2)/100 000 person-years] in women. The incidence rate increased exponentially with higher age. In multivariable-adjusted Poisson models, marked sex interactions for current smoking and body mass index (BMI) were observed. Current smoking conferred a rate ratio (RR) of 2.24 (95% CI 1.95–2.57) in women and 1.62 (1.47–1.79) in men. One standard deviation higher BMI was associated with an RR of 0.86 (0.81–0.92) in women and 1.02 (0.96–1.08) in men. Higher blood pressure and lower education level were also associated with higher risk of SAH. Conclusions The risk of SAH is 45% higher in women than in men, with substantial sex differences in risk factor strengths. In particular, a markedly stronger adverse effect of smoking in women may motivate targeted public health initiatives.

Aims/hypothesis Our aim was to investigate the predictive power of a panel of variables in glucose and insulin metabolism for the incidence of stroke or transient ischaemic attacks (TIA). We hypothesised that proinsulin and insulin resistance contributes to an increase of risk for fatal and non-fatal stroke/TIA, independently of diabetes and established risk factors. Methods The study is based on the Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men cohort. The examinations were performed at age 70 years. Results In 1,151 men free from stroke at baseline, 150 developed stroke or TIA during a median follow-up of 8.8 years. In unadjusted Cox proportional hazards analyses, a 1 SD increase of a predictor variable was associated with an increased risk for stroke/TIA, e.g. plasma insulin (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.01-1.40), fasting intact proinsulin (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.09-1.49); whereas a 1 SD increase in insulin sensitivity measured by the euglycaemic insulin clamp method decreased the risk for stroke/TIA (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.96). The predictive values of fasting intact proinsulin and insulin sensitivity endured but not that of plasma insulin when adjusting for diabetes. In models adjusting for diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, serum cholesterol and smoking, proinsulin remained as a significant predictor of later stroke/TIA (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.00-1.48) whereas clamp insulin sensitivity did not (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.71-1.07). Conclusions/interpretation Fasting intact proinsulin level and insulin sensitivity at clamp predicted subsequent fatal and non-fatal stroke/TIA, independently of diabetes in elderly men whereas fasting insulin did not.