DIETARY VITAMIN-C, BETA-CAROTENE AND 30-YEAR RISK OF STROKE - RESULTSFROM THE WESTERN ELECTRIC STUDY

The relations of dietary antioxidants vitamin C and beta-carotene to 3 0-year risk of stroke incidence and mortality were investigated prospe ctively in the Chicago Western Electric Study among 1,843 middle-aged men who remained free of cardiovascular disease through their second e xamination. Stroke mortality was ascertained from death certificates, and nonfatal stroke from records of the Health Care Financing Administ ration. During 46,102 person-years of follow-up, 222 strokes occurred; 76 of them were fatal. After adjustment for age, systolic blood press ure, cigarette smoking, body mass index, serum cholesterol, total ener gy intake, alcohol consumption, and diabetes, relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals) for nonfatal and fatal strokes (n = 222) in high est versus lowest quartiles of dietary beta-carotene and vitamin C int ake were 0.84 (0.57-1.24) and 0.71 (0.47-1.05), respectively. Generall y similar results were observed for fatal strokes (n = 76), Although t here was a modest decrease in risk of stroke with higher intake of bet a-carotene and vitamin-C intake, these data do not provide definitive evidence that high intake of antioxidant vitamins decreases risk of st roke.