TREATMENT WITH CALCIUM-ANTAGONISTS DOES NOT INCREASE THE RISK OF FATAL OR NONFATAL CANCER IN AN ELDERLY MID-EUROPEAN POPULATION - RESULTS FROM STEPHY-II

Objective To assess the relationship between use of calcium antagonist s and incidence of fatal or non-fatal cancer over 3 years in the Starn berg Study on Epidemiology of Parkinsonism and Hypertension in the Eld erly (STEPHY) population. Design A prospective cohort study with follo w-up analysis after 3 years. Patients and methods In 1992 STEPHY worke rs investigated the total population aged > 65 years (n = 1190) of two villages in Bavaria, Germany. With 982 participants (response rate 83 %) the prevalence of 'actual' hypertension (blood pressure greater tha n or equal to 160/95 mmHg or treatment) was 53%. Of all hypertensives (n = 491), 54% were being treated, 28% (n = 137) with calcium antagoni sts. Participants with a history of cancer or manifest cancer were exc luded from further analysis. In 1995 in STEPHY II, the 3-year follow-u p, we assessed total mortality (including cases of fatal cancer), card iovascular events and cases of non-fatal cancer between 1992 and 1995. The evaluation included a second interview, use of case records of ge neral practitioners and hospitals and analysis of the official death c ertificates. The total incidence of fatal and nonfatal cancer (a combi ned end point) was calculated for participants treated with calcium an tagonists and those not taking calcium antagonists. Results Total mort ality over 3 years was 12.1% (n = 119) There were 22 deaths due to can cer and 75 cases of newly diagnosed non-fatal cancer. The combined inc idence of fatal and non-fatal cancer (primary end point) was 10.9% (n = 15) for participants treated with calcium antagonists and 9.7% (n = 82) for those not taking calcium antagonists (odds ratio 1.12, 95% con fidence interval 0.7-1.8). There was also no significant difference be tween the incidences of fatal cancer (2.2% in both groups), non-fatal cancer (12.5% for participants treated with calcium antagonists and 10 .8% for those not taking calcium antagonists) and total mortality (14. 6% for participants taking calcium antagonists and 11.7% for those not treated with calcium antagonists). Conclusion Use of calcium antagoni sts does not increase the risk of fatal or non-fatal cancer over 3 yea rs in an elderly mid-European population. I Hypertens 16:1113-1116 (C) 1998 Lippincott-Raven Publishers.