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. 2012 Oct 25;345:e7093. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e7093

Table 5.

 No of deaths from all causes and death rate ratios among former smokers by sex, year of birth, and age at quitting smoking

Men Women Men and women
Mean age when quit (years) No of deaths Rate ratio (95% CI) v never smokers* Mean age when quit (years) No of deaths Rate ratio (95% CI) v never smokers* No of deaths Rate ratio (95% CI) v never smokers*
Born before 1920
Former smokers:
 Age quit smoking (years):
  <25 22 32 1.19 (0.84 to 1.68) 21 3 0.89 (0.29 to 2.75) 35 1.13 (0.81 to 1.58)
  25-34 30 125 1.13 (0.94 to 1.36) 30 30 1.16 (0.81 to 1.65) 155 1.12 (0.95 to 1.31)
  35-44 40 253 1.09 (0.95 to 1.24) 40 56 1.04 (0.80 to 1.36) 309 1.06 (0.94 to 1.19)
  45-54 50 540 1.11 (1.00 to 1.22) 50 123 0.93 (0.78 to 1.11) 663 1.05 (0.97 to 1.15)
  55-64 59 732 1.23 (1.12 to 1.34) 60 200 1.22 (1.06 to 1.40) 932 1.21 (1.12 to 1.30)
  ≥65 71 700 1.45 (1.33 to 1.59) 72 250 1.31 (1.15 to 1.48) 950 1.39 (1.29 to 1.49)
  P value for trend 0.000003 0.01 <0.00001
 Unknown age 161 1.51 (1.28 to 1.78) 220 1.45 (1.27 to 1.66) 381 1.47 (1.32 to 1.62)
Current smokers 7023 1.45 (1.37 to 1.53) 1947 1.50 (1.43 to 1.58) 8970 1.47 (1.41 to 1.52)
Never smokers 1592 10 595 12 187
Born 1920-45
Former smokers:
 Age quit smoking (years):
  <25 22 20 0.91 (0.58 to 1.42) 22 5 1.54 (0.64 to 3.70) 25 0.98 (0.66 to 1.46)
  25-34 30 85 0.83 (0.66 to 1.05) 29 24 1.21 (0.81 to 1.81) 109 0.89 (0.73 to 1.09)
  35-44 39 200 1.21 (1.02 to 1.44) 39 46 1.27 (0.95 to 1.70) 246 1.22 (1.06 to 1.40)
  45-54 49 273 1.43 (1.23 to 1.68) 49 74 1.59 (1.26 to 2.00) 347 1.46 (1.29 to 1.65)
  55-64 58 206 1.73 (1.45 to 2.06) 59 61 1.49 (1.15 to 1.92) 267 1.65 (1.44 to 1.90)
  ≥65 67 29 1.72 (1.16 to 2.57) 67 14 1.94 (1.15 to 3.29) 43 1.78 (1.30 to 2.45)
  P value for trend <0.00001 0.09 <0.00001
 Unknown age 90 2.14 (1.70 to 2.69) 74 1.55 (1.23 to 1.95) 164 1.82 (1.56 to 2.14)
Current smokers 3089 1.89 (1.70 to 2.09) 731 1.81 (1.67 to 1.96) 3820 1.84 (1.74 to 1.96)
Never smokers 404 3755 4159

*Death rate ratios stratified for age, calendar period, and (when men and women combined) sex.