Stroke in Parents Who Lost a Child: A Nationwide Follow-Up Study in Denmark

Li, Jiong; Johnsen, Søren P; Olsen, Jørn

doi:10.1159/000069898

Cited by 30 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…However, the study by Rostila et al . found a statistically significant overall risk only for women, whereas Li et al . found no increased risk for any of the sexes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…We included six studies: five cohort studies and one case‐crossover study . All studies were conducted in Europe or the USA (Table ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We included six studies: five cohort studies and one case‐crossover study . All studies were conducted in Europe or the USA (Table ). Five studies found that the loss of a first‐degree relative was associated with a 1.1‐ to 2.4‐fold higher risk of stroke .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Risk of stroke after bereavement-a systematic literature review

2017

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Several studies have suggested that psychological stress may increase the risk of stroke. However, this link remains a controversial issue because of conflicting findings. Bereavement, the loss of a close relative, is considered a severely stressful life event. Increased risk of stroke could thus be expected after bereavement if stress plays a causal role. We aimed to evaluate the association between bereavement and stroke by performing a systematic review of the existing literature. The literature search was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. A search in Medline and Embase identified eligible studies, which were reviewed by two researchers independently according to specific inclusion criteria. We included six studies: five cohort studies and one case-crossover study. Five studies found that loss of a first-degree relative was associated with a 1.1- to 2.4-fold higher risk of stroke. However, one study found a statistically significant overall risk only for women. Five studies evaluated the risk of stroke according to time since the loss; one study found no association, two studies indicated short-term effect, one study indicated long-term effect, and one study indicated both short-term and long-term effect. Three studies stratified their analysis by sex; two found higher association in bereaved women than men. Our systematic review suggests that bereavement-related stress is associated with a higher risk of stroke. As relatively few studies were identified, new studies are needed to verify this association. These should aim to quantify the risk, describe the effect of time since bereavement, and identify risk-modifying factors.

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“…However, the study by Rostila et al . found a statistically significant overall risk only for women, whereas Li et al . found no increased risk for any of the sexes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…We included six studies: five cohort studies and one case‐crossover study . All studies were conducted in Europe or the USA (Table ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Risk of stroke after bereavement-a systematic literature review

2017

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“…Some studies even suggest that the death of a sibling is more disruptive and involves a more severe grief process than other familial deaths [11]. Accordingly, it has been shown that associations between sibling deaths and mortality among remaining siblings are comparable and, in some instances, stronger than other familial deaths [11], [14] including the loss of a child [15]. Moreover, the fact that findings on the duration of grief following familial deaths are unclear [16] stresses the importance of studying whether associations are discerned in shorter or longer-term perspectives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatal Stroke after the Death of a Sibling: A Nationwide Follow-Up Study from Sweden

Rostila

Saarela

Kawachi³

2013

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundAlthough less studied than other types of familial losses, the loss of a sibling could be a potential trigger of stroke as it represents a stressful life event. We studied the association between loss of a sibling and fatal stroke up to 18 years since bereavement. Methodology/Principal FindingsWe conducted a follow-up study between 1981 and 2002, based on register data covering the total population of Swedes aged 40–69 years (n = 1,617,010). An increased risk of fatal stroke (1.31 CI: 1.05, 1.62) was found among women who had experienced the loss of a sibling. No increase in the overall mortality risk was found in men (1.11 CI: 0.92, 1.33). An elevated risk in the short term (during the second and third half-year after the death) was found among both men and women, whereas longer-term elevation in risk was found primarily for women. Both external (1.47 CI: 1.00, 2.17) and not external (1.26 CI: 1.00, 1.60) causes of sibling death showed associations among women. In men, an association was found only if the sibling also died from stroke (1.78 CI: 1.00, 3.17). However, among women, we found an increased risk of stroke mortality if the sibling died from causes other than stroke (1.30 CI: 1.04, 1.62).Conclusions/SignificanceThe findings suggest an increased risk of dying from stroke mortality after the death of a sibling, and that bereavement affects particularly women. It is important for health care workers to follow bereaved siblings and recognize potential changes of stress-levels and health related behaviours that could lead to risk of stroke.

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“…Studies have found that the death of a young child increases parental mortality from all causes,2 as well as the risk of depressive symptoms,10 certain types of cancer,11 myocardial infarction,12 poor self-rated health,13 diabetes14 and suicide 15. Yet, some analyses have found no increase in risk in parents with regard to general health status,16 cancer morbidity17 or stroke 18. Studies have also examined the duration of bereavement.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%