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. 2014 Jan 8;42(6):1772–1790. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyt154

Table 4.

Hazard rate ratios of cause specific deaths across categories of lifetime pattern of alcohol-use among women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study

Exclusive categories of pattern of alcohol use Formerb
Lifetimec
Cause of death Nevera Former light to moderated Former heavye Lightf Below rec. limitg Light to moderated Occasionally heavye Heavye P for trendh
Person-years 361 973 161 992 7700 440 937 1 295 299 855 524 340 591 12 618
CHDk
    Deaths N = 832 111 84 2 191 269 127 48 0
        HRi 1.02 1.25 1.02 REF 0.70 0.68 0.76 0.132
        (95% CI) (0.78; 1.35) (0.93; 1.68) (0.25; 4.18) (0.57; 0.86) (0.53; 0.86) (0.55; 1.07)
        HRj 0.94 1.07 0.68 REF 0.66 0.62 0.54 0.001
        (95% CI) (0.71; 1.24) (0.79; 1.44) (0.17; 2.82) (0.54; 0.82) (0.49; 0.80) (0.37; 0.78)
CVDl
    Deaths N = 1816 272 166 8 313 571 352 134 0
        HRi 1.40 1.58 2.05 REF 0.90 1.05 1.14 0.060
        (95% CI) (1.16; 1.68) (1.28; 1.95) (1.02; 4.11) (0.77; 1.04) (0.89; 1.24) (0.92; 1.42)
        HRj 1.26 1.37 1.50 REF 0.88 1.01 0.85 0.658
        (95% CI) (1.04; 1.54) (1.09; 1.71) (0.71; 3.17) (0.75; 1.03) (0.85; 1.21) (0.66; 1.10)
Alcohol = related cancerm
    Deaths N = 1,863 181 107 8 243 686 425 203 10
        HRi 1.20 1.27 2.08 REF 1.02 1.07 1.31 2.41 <0.001
        (95% CI) (0.97; 1.49) (0.99; 1.62) (1.03; 4.23) (0.87; 1.19) (0.91; 1.26) (1.07; 1.59) (1.28; 4.54)
        HRj 1.15 1.20 1.89 REF 0.98 1.02 1.16 2.20 0.013
        (95% CI) (0.92; 1.44) (0.93; 1.55) (0.93; 3.83) (0.83; 1.15) (0.85; 1.21) (0.94; 1.43) (1.16; 4.18)
Other neoplasmsn
    Deaths N = 4,367 460 271 16 557 1557 1011 484 11
        HRi 1.19 1.36 1.83 REF 0.99 1.06 1.27 1.24 <0.001
        (95% CI) (1.04; 1.36) (1.16; 1.59) (1.10; 3.03) (0.89; 1.09) (0.95; 1.18) (1.12; 1.45) (0.68; 2.27)
        HRj 1.21 1.29 1.15 REF 0.97 1.02 1.12 1.08 0.065
        (95% CI) (1.04; 1.40) (1.09; 1.54) (0.64; 2.08) (0.86; 1.09) (0.90; 1.15) (0.97; 1.30) (0.57; 2.03)
Respiratory causeo
    Deaths N = 608 63 48 7 102 228 107 50 3
        HRi 1.43 1.91 7.40 REF 1.08 0.96 1.17 4.37 0.350
        (95% CI) (1.01; 2.04) (1.28; 2.83) (3.27; 16.74) (0.84; 1.40) (0.72; 1.28) (0.82; 1.68) (1.32; 14.47)
        HRj 1.49 1.53 4.61 REF 0.98 0.81 0.84 3.51 0.530
        (95% CI) (1.01; 2.19) (1.01; 2.32) (1.94; 10.93) (0.74; 1.30) (0.60; 1.11) (0.56; 1.25) (1.09; 11.32)
Digestive causep
    Deaths N = 332 42 34 3 37 101 69 44 2
        HRi 2.43 3.43 11.62 REF 1.33 1.65 2.74 7.71 <0.001
        (95% CI) (1.49; 3.96) (2.04; 5.78) (3.57; 37.80) (0.89; 1.98) (1.08; 2.52) (1.71; 4.40) (2.06; 28.87)
        HRj 3.35 3.79 14.60 REF 1.34 1.65 2.59 9.57 <0.001
        (95% CI) (1.90; 5.92) (2.10; 6.84) (4.34; 49.14) (0.85; 2.10) (1.00; 2.70) (1.48; 4.52) (3.05; 30.0)
External causeq
    Deaths N = 472 67 33 5 64 156 101 45 1
        HRi 1.46 1.53 4.95 REF 0.97 0.97 1.09 0.77 0.601
        (95% CI) (1.00; 2.11) (0.98; 2.37) (1.94; 12.68) (0.72; 1.32) (0.70; 1.35) (0.73; 1.62) (0.11; 5.47)
        HRj 1.42 1.58 4.11 REF 1.09 0.94 1.04 0.72 0.747
        (95% CI) (0.90; 2.22) (0.96; 2.60) (1.49; 11.37) (0.76; 1.56) (0.63; 1.42) (0.65; 1.68) (0.10; 5.20)
Other causer
    Deaths N = 1516 170 100 8 239 496 316 180 7
        HRi 1.19 1.54 3.22 REF 0.94 0.96 1.38 2.78 <0.001
        (95% CI) (0.96; 1.49) (1.20; 1.99) (1.57; 6.59) (0.80; 1.11) (0.80; 1.14) (1.12; 1.69) (1.30; 5.91)
        HRj 1.00 1.36 2.70 REF 0.89 0.91 1.33 2.58 0.001
        (95% CI) (0.75; 1.33) (1.00; 1.84) (1.15; 6.30) (0.72; 1.09) (0.73; 1.15) (1.03; 1.73) (1.06; 6.27)

CHD, coronary heart disease; CVD, cardiovascular disease; HR, hazard rate ratio; REF, reference; rec., recommended.

a Report of no use of alcohol at all points in time (age 20, 30, 40, 50 and at enrolment).

b Report of alcohol use in the past but not at the time of enrolment.

c Report of use of alcohol at past points in time and at the time of enrolment.

d ≤30 g/d.

e >30 g/d.

f ≤1 g/d.

g ≤12 g/d (American Heart Association; World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).

h P for trend across HR of death in lifetime alcohol-usersemploying median alcohol use at the time of enrolment.

i Joint Cox proportional hazard model, stratified by age and centre.

j Joint Cox proportional hazard model, as i and adjusted for body mass index, height, waist circumference, intake of fruits, vegetables, red meat and meat products, dietary fibre, physical activity, education, smoking, menopausal hormone use, number of live births and menopausal status.

k I20–I25.

l I00–I99 excl. I20–I25.

m C01–C06, C09–C15, C18–22; C32; C50.

n C00–D48 excl. C01–C06, C09–C15, C18–22; C32; C50.

o J00-J99.

p K00-K93, excl. K292, K70, K860.

q S00-T98, V01-Y98.

r All causes excl. I00–I99; C00–D48; J00-J99; K00-K93, excl. K292, K70, K860; S00-T98, V01-Y98; and unknown causes.