J. Penttinen et P. Valonen, THE RISK OF MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION AMONG FINNISH FARMERS SEEKING MEDICAL-CARE FOR AN INFECTION, American journal of public health, 86(10), 1996, pp. 1440-1442
Objectives. This study determined whether people visiting a doctor bec
ause of infection had an increased risk of myocardial infarction. Meth
ods. For 83 case patients and 249 matched control patients nested in a
cohort of 3172 Finnish male farmers, comparisons were made on the bas
is of visits to a doctor because of infection. Results. Infections of
the upper respiratory tract were statistically significantly associate
d with coronary artery disease. The odds ratio was 3.2 (95% confidence
interval = 1.2, 8.5) for patients visiting a doctor four or more time
s because of infection of upper respiratory tract compared with patien
ts with three or fewer visits. Conclusions. Men in this sample with re
current or chronic infections of the upper respiratory tract exhibited
a pronounced risk for myocardial infarction.