Risk Factors for Cerebrovascular Disorders in Koreans

Park, Jong Ku; Kim, Ki Soon; Kim, Chun Bae; Lee, Tae Yong; Lee, Duk Hee; Koh, Kwang Wook; Lee, Kang Sook; Jee, Sun Ha; Suh, Il; Ryu, So Yeon; Park, Kee Ho

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To identify the risk factors of cerebrovascular disorders(CVD) in Koreans using a nested case-control study.
METHODS
The cohort consisted of beneficiaries who had taken health examinations of the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation (KMIC cohort: 115,600 persons) in 1990 and 1992 consecutively. Four hundred and twenty five (425) cases were selected following the validation of diagnosis among 2,026 reported CVD (I60-I68) inpatients during the year from 1993 to 1997. Controls were matched (1:1) with age and gender of the cases among inpatients without CVD during the same period. The source of data in this study were the files of the 1990 health examinations and the 1992 health questionnaires, as well as an additional telephone survey undertaken from March to November 1999.
RESULTS
In a bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis, risk factors for total CVD were hyperglycemia and hypertension. Unrespectively, the odds ratio of ex-smoker was significantly lower than that of those who had never smoked. The risk factors for ischemic CVD also were hyperglycemia and hypertension. However, only blood pressure was found to be a risk factor for hemorrhagic CVD. Hypercholesterolemia was not a risk factor for total CVD, ischemic CVD, and hemorrhagic CVD.
CONCLUSION
We concluded that the most important risk factor for CVD (including subtype) in Koreans was hypertension.