Lifestyle factors and risk of venous thromboembolism

Abstract

SUMMARY There is little knowledge about the association between lifestyle factors and risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The aim of this thesis was to investigate the relation between coffee consumption, emotional states, cigarette smoking and socioeconomic status and future risk of incident VTE in a prospective, population-based cohort study.

Our study population consisted of more than 27 000 men and women, who participated in the fourth Tromsø study (1994-95). All adult inhabitants of the municipality of Tromsø, Norway, were invited to participate in the Tromsø study. Information about lifestyle factors and other relevant factors, were obtained by self-administered questionnaires, blood samples and a physical examination. The study subjects were followed until end of follow-up, December 31, 2010, and all VTE events occurring during this time period were registered.

We found that coffee consumption was inversely associated with risk of VTE. Subjects who drank 3-6 cups of coffee daily had about 30% lower risk of VTE than coffee abstainers. Subjects who reported frequent feelings of depression in the 2 weeks prior to baseline had 60% higher risk of VTE compared to those who reported no such feelings. Contrary, those who felt happy and optimistic had 40% reduced risk of VTE. Heavy smoking was apparently associated with risk of VTE, but this association was mediated by other smoking-attributable diseases, such as myocardial infarction and cancer. Furthermore, women with high socioeconomic status had lower risk of VTE than women with low socioeconomic status. No association between socioeconomic status and risk of VTE was found among men. These findings imply that lifestyle factors have impact on the risk of VTE.