Low cholesterol is the most common risk factor for brain hemorrhage in people under 40

This study was published in Stroke 1999 Mar;30(3):537-41

 

Study title and authors:

Intracerebral hemorrhage in young people: analysis of risk factors, location, causes, and prognosis.

Ruíz-Sandoval JL, Cantú C, Barinagarrementeria F.

Stroke Clinic, Stroke Program, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía, Mexico City, Mexico.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10066848

This study investigated the risk factors for intracerebral (brain) hemorrhage in young people. The study included 200 patients, aged 15 to 40 years, with confirmed intracerebral hemorrhage.

The study found the most frequent risk factors were:
(i) Low cholesterol levels (less than 160 mg/dL or  4.1 mmol/L) (35%)
(ii) Tobacco use (20%)
(iii) High blood pressure (13%)
(iv) Alcohol use (10%)

The results of the study reveal that low cholesterol is the most common risk factor for brain hemorrhage in people under 40. 

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Guillain-Barre syndrome may be a serious side-effect of statin treatment

This paper was published in Muscle and Nerve 2004 Nov;30(5):663-6

Study title and authors:
Disorder resembling Guillain-Barré syndrome on initiation of statin therapy.

Rajabally YA, Varakantam V, Abbott RJ.
Department of Neurology, University Hospitals of Leicester, Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW, United Kingdom. yusuf.rajabally@uhl-tr.nhs.uk

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15389662

This paper reports the case of a 58-year-old man with Guillain-Barre syndrome. Guillain-Barre syndrome is a serious condition of the peripheral nervous system. It occurs when the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system.

(i) On initiation of simvastatin therapy a disorder resembling Guillain-Barre syndrome occurred in the man.
(ii) He  had experienced a similar but milder episode after starting pravastatin six months earlier.

This case suggests that Guillain-Barre syndrome may be a serious side-effect of statin treatment.

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Red meat decreases the risk of heart disease

This study was published in Preventive Medicine 2007 Feb;44(2):135-42

 

Study title and authors:

Health-related behaviours as predictors of mortality and morbidity in Australian Aborigines.

Burke V, Zhao Y, Lee AH, Hunter E, Spargo RM, Gracey M, Smith RM, Beilin LJ, Puddey IB.

University of Western Australia School of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Perth Hospital Unit, Box X2213 GPO, Perth 6847, Australia. vburke@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17069878?dopt=Abstract

The study examined the influence of diet and lifestyle on the risk of heart disease. The study included 256 women and 258 men, aged 15-88 years, who were followed for four years.

Regarding red meat consumption, the study found that for every 100 grams per day increase in red meat consumption, the risk of heart disease decreased by 31%.  

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Statins may be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

This study was published in Drug Safety 2009;32(8):649-61

Study title and authors:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like conditions in possible association with cholesterol-lowering drugs: an analysis of patient reports to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Statin Effects Study.

Golomb BA, Kwon EK, Koperski S, Evans MA.
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California 92093-0995, USA. bgolomb@ucsd.edu

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19591530

Dr Golomb notes that cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or ALS-like conditions have arisen in apparent association with statins (and other cholesterol-lowering drugs). This study sought to find evidence whether the connection may be causal.

The study included ten patients, with either a formal or probable diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis arising in association with statin drug therapy.

The study found:
(a) All patients reported improvement of symptoms with drug discontinuation.
(b) All patients reported onset or exacerbation of symptoms with drug change, rechallenge or dose increase.

The results from the study suggest that statins (and other cholesterol-lowering drugs) may be associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

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Consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas are associated with a significantly higher risk of stroke

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012 May;95(5):1190-9

Study title and authors:
Soda consumption and the risk of stroke in men and women.

Bernstein AM, de Koning L, Flint AJ, Rexrode KM, Willett WC.
Wellness Institute of Cleveland Clinic, Lyndhurst, OH 44124, USA. bernsta2@ccf.org

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22492378

The study examined the relationship between soda consumption and the risk of stroke. Data was extracted from two studies:
(i) The Nurses' Health Study, a study of 84,085 women followed for 28 years.
(ii) The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, a study of 43,371 men followed for 22 years.

The data revealed:
(a) Those who consumed one or more serving per day of sugar-sweetened soda had a 16% increased risk of stroke compared to those who consumed none.
(b) Those who consumed one or more serving per day of low-calorie soda had a 16% increased risk of stroke compared to those who consumed none.

This analysis of over three million person-years of follow-up shows that a greater consumption of sugar-sweetened and low-calorie sodas is associated with a significantly higher risk of stroke.

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Antiphospholipid antibodies (indicate an increased risk of blood clots or pregnancy loss) are associated with statin use

This study was published in the Journal of Clinical Pathology 2012 Jun;65(6):551-6

 

Study title and authors:

High antiphospholipid antibody levels are associated with statin use and may reflect chronic endothelial damage in non-autoimmune thrombosis: cross-sectional study.

Broder A, Tobin JN, Putterman C.

Division of Rheumatology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA. abroder@montefiore.org

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22389514

Persistently elevated antiphospholipid antibodies and positive lupus anticoagulant are associated with an increased risk of thrombosis and pregnancy loss, see here and here.

The study explored whether antiphospholipid antibodies and positive lupus anticoagulant were associated with statin use in 270 patients without autoimmune diseases hospitalised with arterial or venous thrombosis (blood clots).

The study found that statin users were 220% more likely to have antiphospholipid antibody positivity.

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High red meat consumption is associated with a reduced risk of cancer

This study was published in the British Medical Journal 1997 Oct 18;315(7114):1018

 

Study title and authors:

Frequent consumption of red meat is not risk factor for cancer.

Cox BD, Whichelow MJ.

 

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9365318

This study investigated the association between diet and the risk of cancer. The study lasted for seven years and included 1,630 men and 2,030 women who were free of cancer at the start of the study.

Regarding red meat consumption, the study found:
(a) Men who consumed red meat everyday had an ~18% reduced risk of cancer compared to men who consumed red meat less than once a week.
(b) Women who consumed red meat everyday had an ~8% reduced risk of cancer compared to women who consumed red meat less than once a week.

The data from the study shows that men and women who consume higher amounts of red meat have a reduced risk of cancer.

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