Cardiovascular effect of bans on smoking in public places: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Smoke-free legislation impact on the hospitality sector in the Republic of Georgia

INTRODUCTION

Comprehensive smoke-free (SF) policies reduce secondhand smoke exposure and improve population-level health outcomes. However, some decision-makers heed the tobacco industry's argument that SF policies negatively impact the hospitality sector. This study examines the intermediate economic impact of the Republic of Georgia's SF legislation (effective since early 2018) on the hospitality sector in Georgia.

METHODS

Analyses used 2015-2019 hospitality sector data from Georgia's National Statistics Office. Simple linear regression models were conducted to examine the impact of Georgia's SF policy on economic indicators (ie, number of employees, food service facilities, hotels and international visitor trips; employee remuneration; production value; turnover; hospitality sector value added tax (VAT)).

RESULTS

Analyses indicated no negative impact on any of the economic indicators. Instead, from 2018 to 2019, the number of food service facilities, hotels and international visitor trips increased by 20%, 17% and 7%, respectively. Additionally, there were increases in the number of employees (9%), average employee remuneration (3%), production values (13%), turnover/total revenue (13%) and VAT (26%). Moreover, the economic indicator values during the studied period were strongly correlated with each other (p>0.95) and indicated a consistent and uniform improvement.

CONCLUSIONS

After the SF legislation went into effect, the hospitality sector demonstrated significant growth and no adverse effects in the economic indicators studied. The findings underscore the importance of maintaining and enforcing SF policies in Georgia and expanding the evidence base for SF policies globally.

The global burden of cataracts and its attributable risk factors in 204 countries and territories: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study

Introduction

The global distribution and trends in the attributable burden of cataract risk have rarely been systematically explored. To guide the development of targeted and accurate cataract screening and treatment strategies, we analyzed the burden of cataract disease attributable to known risk factors.

Method

This study utilized detailed cataract data from the Global Burden of Disease e 2019, and we analyzed disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) e each risk factor from 1990 to 2019. Additionally, we calculated estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) during the study period.

Results

The results revealed that from 1990-2019, the global age-standardized DALYs of e attributable to particulate matter pollution, smoking, high fasting glucose plasma and high BMI showed steady downward trends (1990-2009: EAPC = -0.21 [-0.57 -0.14]); 2000-2009: EAPC = -0.95 [-1.01 -0.89]; 2010-2019: EAPC = -1.41 [-1.8 -1.02]). The age-standardized DALYs and mortality caused by each risk factor were highest in the low-middle sociodemographic index (SDI) region (EAPC = -1.77[(-2.19--1.34)]). The overall disease burden of cataracts is lower in males than in females. When analyzing the EAPCs of cataract disease burden for each risk factor individually, we found that the age-standardized disability-adjusted life years caused by particulate matter pollution and smoking decreased (PMP1990-2009: EAPC = -0.53 [-0.9--0.16]; 2000-2009: EAPC = -1.39 [-1.45--1.32]; 2010-2019: EAPC = -2.27 [-2.75--1.79]; smoking 2000 to 2009: EAPC = -1.51 [-1.6--1.43], 2009 to 2019: EAPC = -1.34 [-1.68--1])), while high fasting plasma glucose and high body mass index increased annually (HFPG1990 to 1999: EAPC = 1.27 [0.89-1.65], 2000 to 2009: EAPC = 1.02 [0.82-1.22], 2010-2019: EAPC = 0.44 [0.19-0.68]; HBMI 1990 to 1999: EAPC = 1.65 [1.37-1.94], 2000 to 2009: EAPC = 1.56 [1.43-1.68], 2010-2019: EAPC = 1.47 [1.18-1.77]).

Disscussion

The burden of cataracts caused by ambient particulate matter and smoking is increasing in low, low-middle SDI areas, and specific and effective measures are urgently needed. The results of this study suggest that reducing particulate matter pollution, quitting smoking, controlling blood glucose, and lowering BMI could play important roles in reducing the occurrence of cataracts, especially in older people.

The potential impact of policies and structural interventions in reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality: a systematic review of simulation-based studies

Background

The aim of the study was to investigate the potential effect of different structural interventions for preventing cardiovascular disease.

Methods

Medline and EMBASE were searched for peer-reviewed simulation-based studies of structural interventions for prevention of cardiovascular disease. We performed a systematic narrative synthesis.

Results

A total of 54 studies met the inclusion criteria. Diet, nutrition, tobacco and alcohol control and other programmes are among the policy simulation models explored. Food tax and subsidies, healthy food and lifestyles policies, palm oil tax, processed meat tax, reduction in ultra-processed foods, supplementary nutrition assistance programmes, stricter food policy and subsidised community-supported agriculture were among the diet and nutrition initiatives. Initiatives to reduce tobacco and alcohol use included a smoking ban, a national tobacco control initiative and a tax on alcohol. Others included the NHS Health Check, WHO 25 × 25 and air quality management policy.

Future work and limitations

There is significant heterogeneity in simulation models, making comparisons of output data impossible. While policy interventions typically include a variety of strategies, none of the models considered possible interrelationships between multiple policies or potential interactions. Research that investigates dose-response interactions between numerous modifications as well as longer-term clinical outcomes can help us better understand the potential impact of policy-level interventions.

Conclusions

The reviewed studies underscore the potential of structural interventions in addressing cardiovascular diseases. Notably, interventions in areas such as diet, tobacco, and alcohol control demonstrate a prospective decrease in cardiovascular incidents. However, to realize the full potential of such interventions, there is a pressing need for models that consider the interplay and cumulative impacts of multiple policies. Rigorous research into holistic and interconnected interventions will pave the way for more effective policy strategies in the future.

Study registration

The study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42019154836.

Funding

This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme as award number 17/148/05.

Long-Term Follow-up Study of Hospitalizations for Acute Coronary Syndrome in Kobe-City and Other Districts Under the Hyogo Smoking Ban Legislation - A Nationwide Database Study

BACKGROUND

Hyogo Prefecture has managed smoking ban legislation with partial restrictions in public places (Hyogo-L) since 2013. Previous studies have reported a significant decrease in admissions for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in Kobe-city, but not in other districts of Hyogo Prefecture in the 2 years after Hyogo-L. The aim of the present study was to define the long-term effect of Hyogo-L.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The JROAD-DPC dataset was used to collect information on the number of hospitalizations for ACS in Hyogo Prefecture, and in Osaka-city without smoking ban legislation, from April 2013 to March 2020. Poisson regression analysis was performed to calculate incident rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). ACS records of 3,101 in Kobe-city, 11,375 in areas of Hyogo Prefecture other than Kobe-city and 11,079 in Osaka-city were collected for admissions. The incidence of ACS reduced significantly over time in Kobe-city [IRR (95% CI); 0.96 (0.94-0.97)], but did not reduce in the others. The decrease in Kobe-city was observed in ACS patients without smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, but not in those with such risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The long-term ACS reduction or non-reduction under Hyogo-L was determined at the initial period and the same scenario continued, supporting the importance of legislation and compliance with the smoking ban. The lowering effect was remarkable in ACS patients without risk factors such as non-smoking.

A Matter of the Heart: Why It Is Time to Change How We Talk About Maternal Mortality

As the global burden of disease shifts from "diseases of poverty" such as diarrhea to "diseases of affluence" like diabetes and heart disease, a parallel shift is underway in maternal health. Maternal death from hemorrhage is decreasing, while deaths resulting from exacerbation of underlying chronic disease are on the rise.

Evaluation of Population-Level Tobacco Control Interventions and Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Smoking causes considerable noncommunicable diseases, perinatal morbidity, and mortality.

Objective

To investigate the associations of population-level tobacco-control policies with health outcomes.

Data Sources

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and EconLit were searched from inception to March 2021 (updated on 1 March 2022). References were manually searched.

Study Selection

Studies reporting on associations of population-level tobacco control policies with health-related outcomes were included. Data were analyzed from May to July 2022.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Data were extracted by 1 investigator and cross-checked by a second investigator. Analyses were conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting guideline.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcomes were respiratory system disease (RSD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, mortality, hospitalization, and health care utilization. The secondary outcomes were adverse birth outcomes, such as low birth weight and preterm birth. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs.

Results

Of 4952 records identified, 144 population-level studies were included in the final analysis; 126 studies (87.5%) were of high or moderate quality. The most frequently reported policies were smoke-free legislation (126 studies), followed by tax or price increases (14 studies), multicomponent tobacco control programs (12 studies), and a minimum cigarette purchase age law (1 study). Smoke-free legislation was associated with decreased risk of all CVD events (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.86-0.94), RSD events (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72-0.96), hospitalization due to CVD or RSD (OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.87-0.95), and adverse birth outcomes (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.92-0.96). These associations persisted in all sensitivity and subgroup analyses, except for the country income category, for which a significant reduction was only observed in high-income countries. In meta-analysis, there was no clear association of tax or price increases with adverse health outcomes. However, for the narrative synthesis, all 8 studies reported statistically significant associations between tax increases and decreases in adverse health events.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, smoke-free legislation was associated with significant reductions in morbidity and mortality related to CVD, RSD, and perinatal outcomes. These findings support the need to accelerate the implementation of smoke-free laws to protect populations against smoking-related harm.

Effects of chronic secondhand smoke exposure on cardiovascular regulation and the role of soluble epoxide hydrolase in mice

Background: Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality with an estimated 80% of SHS-related deaths attributed to cardiovascular causes. Public health measures and smoking bans have been successful both in reducing SHS exposure and improving cardiovascular outcomes in non-smokers. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors have been shown to attenuate tobacco exposure-induced lung inflammatory responses, making them a promising target for mitigating SHS exposure-induced cardiovascular outcomes. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine 1) effects of environmentally relevant SHS exposure on cardiac autonomic function and blood pressure (BP) regulation and 2) whether prophylactic administration of an sEH inhibitor (TPPU) can reduce the adverse cardiovascular effects of SHS exposure. Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice (11 weeks old) implanted with BP/electrocardiogram (ECG) telemetry devices were exposed to filtered air or 3 mg/m3 of SHS (6 hr/d, 5 d/wk) for 12 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of recovery in filtered air. Some mice received TPPU in drinking water (15 mg/L) throughout SHS exposure. BP, heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), and BP variability were determined monthly. Results: SHS exposure significantly decreased 1) short-term HRV by ∼20% (p < 0.05) within 4 weeks; 2) overall HRV with maximum effect at 12 weeks (-15%, p < 0.05); 3) pulse pressure (-8%, p < 0.05) as early as week 4; and 4) BRS with maximum effect at 12 weeks (-11%, p < 0.05). Four weeks of recovery following 12 weeks of SHS ameliorated all SHS-induced cardiovascular detriments. Importantly, mice exposed to TPPU in drinking water during SHS-related exposure were protected from SHS cardiovascular consequences. Discussion: The data suggest that 1) environmental relevant SHS exposure significantly alters cardiac autonomic function and BP regulation; 2) cardiovascular consequences from SHS can be reversed by discontinuing SHS exposure; and 3) inhibiting sEH can prevent SHS-induced cardiovascular consequences.

Concordance assessment through comparison with urine cotinine: Does self-report adequately reflect passive smoking?

INTRODUCTION

There is a paucity of studies evaluating passive smoking (PS) by comparing self-report (SR) and biomarkers. Our study aimed to confirm whether SR could accurately reflect PS compared to biomarkers, a golden standard for assessing the exposure of non-smokers.

METHODS

We used the 2014-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data and selected 29622 non-smokers aged >19 years as the study participants. The PS rate by SR was assessed during the last 7 days, and participants were interviewed to investigate their exposure at home, work, indoors, and in public places. In addition, participants having a limit of detection ≥0.5 ng/mL in urine cotinine (UC) was defined as the exposure group. All analyses reflected the weights of complex sampling. We first compared the rates of PS using biomarkers and SR, and then the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated based on biomarkers.

RESULTS

PS exposure by UC was the highest (44.4%), and the exposure by SR was significantly lower (5.1-29.5%). Kappa and sensitivity in PS in the indoor home (HPS) were lower than those in indoor workplaces (WPS) and indoor public places (PPS). Moreover, overall sensitivity and PPV were lower, and specificity and NPV were relatively higher in accuracy. Lastly, the sensitivity was poor, and the specificity was relatively good, which means that measurement by SR would identify people who were actually exposed to PS as non-exposed.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite exposure to PS, the use of the SR method is more likely to classify participants in the non-exposed group. Hence, to overcome measurement error in SR and reflect exposure in any place and setting, biomonitoring and SR should be performed.

Moderating Effects of Racial Segregation on the Associations of Cardiovascular Outcomes with Walkability in Chicago Metropolitan Area

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), as the leading cause of death in the U.S., pose a disproportionate burden to racial/ethnic minorities. Walkability, as a key concept of the built environment, reflecting walking and physical activity, is associated with health behaviors that help to reduce CVDs risk. While the unequal social variation and spatial distribution inequality of the CVDs and the role of walkability in preventing CVDs have been explored, the moderating factors through which walkability affects CVDs have not been quantitatively analyzed. In this paper, the spatial statistical techniques combined with the regression model are conducted to study the distribution of the CVDs' health outcomes and factors influencing their variation in the Chicago metropolitan area. The spatial statistical results for the CVDs' health outcomes reveal that clusters of low-value incidence are concentrated in the suburban rural areas and areas on the north side of the city, while the high-value clusters are concentrated in the west and south sides of the city and areas extending beyond the western and southern city boundaries. The regression results indicate that racial segregation reduced the positive association between health outcomes and walkability, although both racial segregation and walkability factors were positively associated with CVDs' health outcomes.

Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease in Women

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women. Women were historically underrepresented in landmark trials for which cardiovascular guidelines are based on and are prone to gender-specific risk factors that predispose to coronary heart disease.

RECENT FINDINGS

More attention has been made on gender and pregnancy-associated risk factors such as autoimmune disorders and preeclampsia. The most recent guidelines have reflected the need to consider risk-enhancing factors that are unaccounted for in traditional risk assessment tools. As the population ages and the burden of cardiovascular disease in women increases, it is crucial to continue focusing on preventative of cardiovascular disease in women.

Evaluating the impact of a prison smoking ban on the cardiovascular health of men in a UK prison

PURPOSE

Smoking rates are known to be higher amongst those committed to prison than the general population. Those in prison suffer from high rates of comorbidities that are likely to increase their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), making it more difficult to manage. In 2016, a tobacco ban began to be implemented across prisons in England and Wales, UK. This study aims to measure the effect of the tobacco ban on predicted cardiovascular risk for those quitting smoking on admission to prison.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

Using data from a prevalence study of CVD in prisons, the authors have assessed the effect of the tobacco ban on cardiovascular risk, using predicted age to CVD event, ten-year CVD risk and heart age, for those who previously smoked and gave up on admission to prison.

FINDINGS

The results demonstrate measurable health gains across all age groups with the greatest gains found in those aged 50 years and older and who had been heavy smokers. Quitting smoking on admission to prison led to a reduced heart age of between two and seven years for all participants.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The data supports tobacco bans in prisons as a public health measure to reduce risk of CVD. Interventions are needed to encourage maintenance of smoking cessation on release from prison for the full health benefits to be realised.

Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of tobacco control legislation for protecting people from tobacco smoke exposure and health consequences of tobacco use. Methodical guidelines

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Effects of public policies in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review of global literature

OBJECTIVES

Given the growing interest worldwide in applying public policies to improve human health, we undertook a systematic review of studies investigating whether public policies targeting unhealthy products could reduce cardiovascular diseases.

STUDY DESIGN

This study was a systematic review of the literature.

METHODS

We searched research studies published in 2000-2020 from major databases, including MEDLINE and Embase. We followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and narratively synthesized the studies based on vote counting and direction of the intervention effect.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight studies, mostly from high-income countries, met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were on public policies targeting sugar-sweetened beverages and tobacco, followed by alcohol, sugar, salt, and junk foods. Overall, many reported that several fiscal, regulatory, and educational policies generated beneficial effects of reducing the diseases. Those studies that reported no or limited effects highlighted several sociodemographic and health risk characteristics and design and implementation aspects of the policy interventions as factors limiting the policy effects; most of these are modifiable with appropriate policy interventions. For instance, low magnitude of tax, substitution with other unhealthy products, firms' competitive response strategies, pre-existence of smoking bans, incremental enactment of smoking regulations, degree of enforcement, and various sociocultural factors minimized the effects of the policies.

CONCLUSION

The literature supports a growing consensus on the beneficial effects of public policy for improving human health. The design and implementation of public policies must address various impeding factors and incorporate appropriate remedial measures. Further research is needed from low- and middle-income countries and on whether and how multiple policy instruments work in tandem.

Remote exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke is associated with lower exercise capacity through effects on oxygen pulse, a proxy of cardiac stroke volume

BACKGROUND

Past exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) is associated with exercise limitation. Pulmonary factors including air trapping contribute to this limitation but the contribution of cardiovascular factors is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the contribution of cardiovascular mechanisms to SHS-associated exercise limitation.

METHODS

We examined the cardiovascular responses to maximum-effort exercise in 245 never-smokers with remote, prolonged occupational exposure to SHS and no known history of cardiovascular disease. We estimated the contribution of oxygen-pulse (proxy for cardiac stroke volume) and changes in systolic blood pressures (SBP), diastolic blood pressures and heart rate (HR) towards exercise capacity, and examined whether the association of SHS with exercise capacity was mediated through these variables.

RESULTS

At peak exercise (highest workload completed (WattsPeak)=156±46 watts (135±33 %predicted)), oxygen consumption and oxygen-pulse (O2-PulsePeak) were 1557±476 mL/min (100±24 %predicted) and 11.0±3.0 mL/beat (116±25 %predicted), respectively, with 29% and 3% participants not achieving their predicted normal range. Oxygen saturation at peak exercise was 98%±1% and remained >93% in all participants. Sixty-six per cent showed hypertensive response to exercise. In models adjusted for covariates, WattsPeak was associated directly with O2-PulsePeak, HRPeak and SBPPeak and inversely with SHS, air trapping (residual volume/total lung capacity) and rise of SBP over workload (all p<0.01). Moreover, SHS exposure association with WattsPeak was substantially (41%) mediated through its effect on O2-PulsePeak (p=0.038). Although not statistically significant, a considerable proportion (36%) of air trapping effect on WattsPeak seemed to be mediated through O2-PulsePeak (p=0.078). The likelihood of having baseline respiratory symptoms (modified Medical Research Council score ≥1) was associated with steeper rise in SBP over workload (p<0.01).

CONCLUSION

In a never-smoker population with remote exposure to SHS, abnormal escalation of blood pressure and an SHS-associated reduction in cardiac output contributed to lower exercise capacity.

Smoking: a leading factor for the death of chronic respiratory diseases derived from Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background

Smoking is believed as one of the major risk factors resulting in a variety of non-communicable diseases, such as lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs). However, the global burden of CRDs attributed to smoking has not been systematically studied, particularly across different temporal and spatial scales.

Methods

We conducted a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of CRDs and related risk factors using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Incidence, death, risk factors, and other parameters such as estimated annual percentage change have been analyzed. We also compared various risk factors across regions, countries, and genders.

Results

Globally, the incidence of CRDs and deaths cases have increased in the last 30 years, while the corresponding age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and death rate (ASDR) have declined. Smoking was the leading risk factor for the death of CRDs all over the world. However, in low and low-middle Socio-demographic Index (SDI) areas, particulate matter pollution was the main risk factor leading to death from CRDs, while smoking was ranked first among the major risk factors in areas with middle, middle-high, or high SDI. Globally, gender differences in morbidity and mortality from CRDs were observed. Males had slightly more cases and ASIR of chronic respiratory diseases than females over the last 30 years. However, the mortality cases and ASDR in males were significantly higher than that of females. Furthermore, the ASDR of all major risk factors, specially smoking, was higher in men than in women.

Conclusions

CRDs were still major threats human health. The current study highlights the dominating roles of smoking for death risks resulting from CRDs, followed by PM pollution. Therefore, tobacco control and improving air quality are key to reducing deaths from CRDs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12890-022-01944-w.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Review

IMPORTANCE

Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are characterized by a sudden reduction in blood supply to the heart and include ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-STEMI (NSTEMI), and unstable angina. Each year, an estimated more than 7 million people in the world are diagnosed with ACS, including more than 1 million patients hospitalized in the US.

OBSERVATIONS

Chest discomfort at rest is the most common presenting symptom of ACS and affects approximately 79% of men and 74% of women presenting with ACS, although approximately 40% of men and 48% of women present with nonspecific symptoms, such as dyspnea, either in isolation or, more commonly, in combination with chest pain. For patients presenting with possible ACS, electrocardiography should be performed immediately (within 10 minutes of presentation) and can distinguish between STEMI and non-ST-segment elevation ACS (NSTE-ACS). STEMI is caused by complete coronary artery occlusion and accounts for approximately 30% of ACS. ACS without significant ST-segment elevation on electrocardiography, termed NSTE-ACS, account for approximately 70% of ACS, are caused by partial or intermittent occlusion of the artery and are associated with ST-segment depressions (approximately 31%), T-wave inversions (approximately 12%), ST-segment depressions combined with T-wave inversions (16%), or neither (approximately 41%). When electrocardiography suggests STEMI, rapid reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 120 minutes reduces mortality from 9% to 7%. If PCI within 120 minutes is not possible, fibrinolytic therapy with alteplase, reteplase, or tenecteplase at full dose should be administered for patients younger than 75 years without contraindications and at half dose for patients 75 years or older (or streptokinase at full dose if cost is a consideration), followed by transfer to a facility with the goal of PCI within the next 24 hours. High-sensitivity troponin measurements are the preferred test to evaluate for NSTEMI. In high-risk patients with NSTE-ACS and no contraindications, prompt invasive coronary angiography and percutaneous or surgical revascularization within 24 to 48 hours are associated with a reduction in death from 6.5% to 4.9%.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Each year, an estimated more than 7 million people are diagnosed with ACS worldwide. For patients with STEMI, coronary catheterization and PCI within 2 hours of presentation reduces mortality, with fibrinolytic therapy reserved for patients without access to immediate PCI. For high-risk patients with NSTE-ACS without contraindications, prompt invasive coronary angiography followed by percutaneous or surgical revascularization is associated with lower rates of death.

Effectiveness of legislative actions against tobacco smoking regarding the reduction of in-hospital morbidity of angina pectoris and myocardial infarction in Russia as a whole and 10 Russian constituent entities

Russian anti-tobacco policy is aimed at reducing long-term morbidity and mortality from smoking-related diseases.

Aim. To assess the associations of tobacco control (TC) legislative measures with hospitalization rate for myocardial infarction (MI) and angina in Russia as a whole and in 10 Russian constituent entities, as well as to compare the effectiveness of anti-smoking measures in regions.

Material and methods. We analyzed data on hospitalizations of patients with angina (I20) and acute (I21) and subsequent (I22) MI, as well as chronic rheumatic heart diseases (I05-I09), for 2005-2019 in Russia as a whole and in 10 Russian constituent entities. We analyzed hospital admission rates for angina and MI to compare the periods before and after introduction of Federal TC law in 2013, adjusting for possible confounders and long-term trends. We used interrupted time-series design and Poisson regression model with calculation of rate ratio (RR) and 95% CI. Regions were compared by means of original TC law implementation scale (TCIS) developed based on the results of Russian TC policy evaluation survey in 10 Russian regions (n=11625). We analyzed the relationship between the TC law measures implementation scores and RR of hospital admissions reductions for angina and MI after the TC law by means of Spearman’s rank correlation (coefficient with 95% CI) and linear regression models. Statistical package STATA 11.2 was used.

Results. The actual trend of hospital admission rates for angina after TC law introduction demonstrates the greatest slope change from the predicted trend (without the law) (p=0,004); less, but still significant slope change for MI (p=0,049), and no slope change for chronic rheumatic heart disease (p=0,332). Results showed a 16,6% decrease in hospital admission rates for angina (RR, 0,83; 95% CI, 074-0,93) and 3,5% — for MI (RR, 0,96; 95% CI, 0,96-0,97) after the TC law introduction in RF and effects of various magnitude in the regions. Regions with higher TCIS scores, i.e. better enforcement of full TC package had greater reduction in hospital admission rates for angina (rsp=-0,627; 95% CI, -1,05−-0,199; p=0,004); with better enforcement of smoke-free policies — grater reduction in hospitalization rates for MI (rsp= -0,793 95%CI, -1,08−-0,506, p<0,001). Reduction of hospital admission rates for angina and MI correlated with the higher scores for help to quit tobacco use (rsp=-0,555; 95% CI, -1,098−-0,01, p=0,045), (rsp= -0,736; 95% CI, -1,12−-0,357, p=0,027). Also, hospital admission rates for angina and MI were associated with the changes in smoking cessation prevalence in 2013-2018 in the regions (β=-0,345; 95% CI, -0,67−-0,02 p=0,041) and smoking prevalence in 2019 (β=2,964; 95% CI, 1,28-5,92, p=0,049), respectively.

Conclusion. TC legislation can lead not only to immediate reductions in hospital admission rates for angina and MI, but also to longer-term results. These effects may be due not only to the introduction of TC law, as such, but also to the enforcement of the law, as well as the direct results of TC measures — the decrease in smoking prevalence in the population.

The future of human malnutrition: rebalancing agency for better nutritional health

The major threat to human societies posed by undernutrition has been recognised for millennia. Despite substantial economic development and scientific innovation, however, progress in addressing this global challenge has been inadequate. Paradoxically, the last half-century also saw the rapid emergence of obesity, first in high-income countries but now also in low- and middle-income countries. Traditionally, these problems were approached separately, but there is increasing recognition that they have common drivers and need integrated responses. The new nutrition reality comprises a global ‘double burden’ of malnutrition, where the challenges of food insecurity, nutritional deficiencies and undernutrition coexist and interact with obesity, sedentary behaviour, unhealthy diets and environments that foster unhealthy behaviour. Beyond immediate efforts to prevent and treat malnutrition, what must change in order to reduce the future burden? Here, we present a conceptual framework that focuses on the deeper structural drivers of malnutrition embedded in society, and their interaction with biological mechanisms of appetite regulation and physiological homeostasis. Building on a review of malnutrition in past societies, our framework brings to the fore the power dynamics that characterise contemporary human food systems at many levels. We focus on the concept of agency, the ability of individuals or organisations to pursue their goals. In globalized food systems, the agency of individuals is directly confronted by the agency of several other types of actor, including corporations, governments and supranational institutions. The intakes of energy and nutrients by individuals are powerfully shaped by this ‘competition of agency’, and we therefore argue that the greatest opportunities to reduce malnutrition lie in rebalancing agency across the competing actors. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on food systems and individuals illustrates our conceptual framework. Efforts to improve agency must both drive and respond to complementary efforts to promote and maintain equitable societies and planetary health.

Predictors of Coronary Plaque Erosion in Current and Non-Current Smokers With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction - An Optical Coherence Tomography Study

BACKGROUND

Smoking is an important risk factor of plaque erosion. This study aimed to investigate the predictors of plaque erosion in current and non-current smokers presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Methods and Results:A total of 1,320 STEMI patients with culprit plaque rupture or plaque erosion detected by pre-intervention optical coherence tomography were divided into a current smoking group (n=715) and non-current smoking group (n=605). Plaque erosion accounted for 30.8% (220/715) of culprit lesions in the current smokers and 21.2% (128/605) in the non-current smokers. Multivariable analysis showed age <50 years, single-vessel disease and the absence of dyslipidemia were independently associated with plaque erosion rather than plaque rupture, regardless of smoking status. In current smokers, diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR]: 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10-0.83; P=0.021) was negatively associated with plaque erosion as compared with plaque rupture. In non-current smokers, minimal lumen area (MLA, OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.16-1.62; P<0.001) and nearby bifurcation (OR: 3.20; 95% CI: 1.98-5.16; P<0.001) were positively related to plaque erosion, but not plaque rupture.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with STEMI, the presence of diabetes mellitus significantly increased the risk of rupture-based STEMI but may not have reduced the risk of plaque erosion-based STEMI in current smokers. Nearby bifurcation and larger MLA were associated with plaque erosion in non-current smokers.

The impact of comprehensive tobacco control policies on cardiovascular diseases in Beijing, China

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

China has a high smoking prevalence, but lacks effective tobacco control interventions. In 2015, comprehensive policies that incorporated all six aspects of MPOWER were implemented in Beijing and were considered the strictest tobacco control policy implemented in China to date. Decreases in the prevalence of active smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure were observed thereafter. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Beijing's 2015 tobacco control policy package on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

DESIGN

Interrupted time-series study.

SETTING

Beijing, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 17.7 million employees enrolled in Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) between January 2013 to June 2017.

INTERVENTIONS

Beijing's 2015 comprehensive tobacco policy package, combining a complete ban on smoking in indoor public places, cessation support, more comprehensive bans on advertising, and tax rises.

MEASUREMENTS

The main outcome was hospital admissions for all CVDs and five major cause-specific CVDs, including ischaemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF), heart rhythm disturbances (HRDs), stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases (CBDs). The absolute number and proportion of reductions in the number of hospital admissions after the policies are reported.

FINDINGS

A total of 419 875 hospital admissions for CVD were identified. In total, 13.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 11.5%, 15.3%] of hospital admissions for CVD were averted by the tobacco control policies. For major cause-specific CVDs, significant hospital admission reductions occurred for IHD (5.4%, 95% CI = 2.6%, 8.3%), stroke (21.2%, 95% CI = 17.8%, 24.6%) and other CBDs (25.9%, 95% CI = 20.8%, 31.0%), but not for HF (4.7%, 95% CI = -4.2%, 13.5%) or HRDs (4.7%, 95% CI = -2.9%, 12.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Beijing's 2015 tobacco control policy package appears to have been associated with a more than 10% reduction in all cardiovascular hospital admissions, including a more than 20% reduction in admissions for cerebrovascular diseases.

Prevalence of coronary risk factors in contemporary practice among patients undergoing their first percutaneous coronary intervention: Implications for primary prevention

Background

Cigarette smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and obesity are conventional risk factors (RFs) for coronary artery disease (CAD). Population trends for these RFs have varied in recent decades. Consequently, the risk factor profile for patients presenting with a new diagnosis of CAD in contemporary practice remains unknown.

Objectives

To examine the prevalence of RFs and their temporal trends among patients without a history of myocardial infarction or revascularization who underwent their first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

We examined the prevalence and temporal trends of RFs among patients without a history of prior myocardial infarction, PCI, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery who underwent PCI at 47 non-federal hospitals in Michigan between 1/1/2010 and 3/31/2018.

Results

Of 69,571 men and 38,930 women in the study cohort, 95.5% of patients had 1 or more RFs and nearly half (55.2% of women and 48.7% of men) had ≥3 RFs. The gap in the mean age at the time of presentation between men and women narrowed as the number of RFs increased with a gap of 6 years among those with 2 RFs to <1 year among those with 5 RFs. Compared with patients without a current/recent history of smoking, those with a current/recent history of smoking presented a decade earlier (age 56.8 versus 66.9 years; p <0.0001). Compared with patients without obesity, patients with obesity presented 4.0 years earlier (age 61.4 years versus 65.4 years; p <0.0001).

Conclusions

Modifiable RFs are widely prevalent among patients undergoing their first PCI. Smoking and obesity are associated with an earlier age of presentation. Population-level interventions aimed at preventing obesity and smoking could significantly delay the onset of CAD and the need for PCI.

Powering population health research: Considerations for plausible and actionable effect sizes

Evidence for Action (E4A), a signature program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, funds investigator-initiated research on the impacts of social programs and policies on population health and health inequities. Across thousands of letters of intent and full proposals E4A has received since 2015, one of the most common methodological challenges faced by applicants is selecting realistic effect sizes to inform calculations of power, sample size, and minimum detectable effect (MDE). E4A prioritizes health studies that are both (1) adequately powered to detect effect sizes that may reasonably be expected for the given intervention and (2) likely to achieve intervention effects sizes that, if demonstrated, correspond to actionable evidence for population health stakeholders. However, little guidance exists to inform the selection of effect sizes for population health research proposals. We draw on examples of five rigorously evaluated population health interventions. These examples illustrate considerations for selecting realistic and actionable effect sizes as inputs to calculations of power, sample size and MDE for research proposals to study population health interventions. We show that plausible effects sizes for population health interventions may be smaller than commonly cited guidelines suggest. Effect sizes achieved with population health interventions depend on the characteristics of the intervention, the target population, and the outcomes studied. Population health impact depends on the proportion of the population receiving the intervention. When adequately powered, even studies of interventions with small effect sizes can offer valuable evidence to inform population health if such interventions can be implemented broadly. Demonstrating the effectiveness of such interventions, however, requires large sample sizes.

Health Benefits of Air Pollution Reduction

Air pollution is a grave risk to human health that affects nearly everyone in the world and nearly every organ in the body. Fortunately, it is largely a preventable risk. Reducing pollution at its source can have a rapid and substantial impact on health. Within a few weeks, respiratory and irritation symptoms, such as shortness of breath, cough, phlegm, and sore throat, disappear; school absenteeism, clinic visits, hospitalizations, premature births, cardiovascular illness and death, and all-cause mortality decrease significantly. The interventions are cost-effective. Reducing factors causing air pollution and climate change have strong cobenefits. Although regions with high air pollution have the greatest potential for health benefits, health improvements continue to be associated with pollution decreases even below international standards. The large response to and short time needed for benefits of these interventions emphasize the urgency of improving global air quality and the importance of increasing efforts to reduce pollution at local levels.

A Scoping Review of Foci, Trends, and Gaps in Reviews of Tobacco Control Research

INTRODUCTION

The burden of disease associated with tobacco use has prompted a substantial increase in tobacco-related research, but the breadth of this literature has not been comprehensively examined. This review examines the nature of the research addressing the action areas in World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the populations targeted and how equity-related concepts are integrated.

METHOD

A scoping review of published reviews addressing tobacco control within the primary prevention domain. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Educational Resources Information Centre, and PsycInfo from 2004 to 2018.

RESULTS

The scoping review of reviews offered a "birds-eye-view" of the tobacco control literature. Within the 681 reviews meeting inclusion criteria, there was a strong focus on smoking cessation targeting individuals; less attention has been given to product regulation, packaging, and labeling or sales to minors. Equity-related concepts were addressed in 167/681 (24.5%); few were focused on addressing inequity through structural and systemic root causes.

CONCLUSION

This analysis of foci, trends, and gaps in the research pursuant to the FCTC illustrated the particular action areas and populations most frequently addressed in tobacco control research. Further research is needed to address: (1) underlying social influences, (2) particular action areas and with specific populations, and (3) sustained tobacco use through the influence of novel marketing and product innovations by tobacco industry.

IMPLICATIONS

This scoping review of the breadth of tobacco control research reviews enables a better understanding of which action areas and target populations have been addressed in the research. Our findings alongside recommendations from other reviews suggest prioritizing further research to support policymaking and considering the role of the tobacco industry in circumventing tobacco control efforts. The large amount of research targeting individual cessation would suggest there is a need to move beyond a focus on individual choice and decontextualized behaviors. Also, given the majority of reviews that simply recognize or describe disparity, further research that integrates equity and targets various forms of social exclusion and discrimination is needed and may benefit from working in collaboration with communities where programs can be tailored to need and context.

Proposal for smoke-free public housing: a systematic review of attitudes and preferences from residents of multi-unit housing

A policy proposal to ban public housing smoking indoors has received support, but it is unclear how certain affected groups, specifically smokers in housing units, perceive such a policy. To review the literature on attitudes and perceptions of housing unit tenants towards an indoor smoke-free housing policy, using various databases, we searched articles for attitudes towards smoking ban enforcement in housing units. We identified fourteen articles. Non-smokers heavily favored indoor policies and current smokers heavily opposed them. Current smokers represented a substantial minority in the reviewed articles, resulting in overall outcomes of the surveys driven by non-smokers. Studies investigating attitudes about housing smoking bans largely represent the views of non-smokers and lack data about barriers and concerns of tenants who do not support a smoke-free policy. Future studies should investigate if such a discrepancy impacts the efficacy of smoke-free housing policies.

Association between a comprehensive smoking ban and hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction: An observational study in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, Spain

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between a comprehensive smoking ban and hospitalization rates for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

METHODS

An observational study was conducted to assess changes in hospital admission rates for AMI in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, Spain (population 5 million), during the period 1995-2013. Law 28/2005 prohibited smoking in all enclosed spaces (public and private), and Law 42/2010 extended the ban to bars and restaurants as well as children's playgrounds and access areas of schools and hospitals. Data on hospital admissions were obtained from the Hospital Discharge Database (CMBD) of the Autonomous Community. Annual hospital admission rates per 100000 population for AMI (ICD-9-CM code 410) for men and women were calculated.

RESULTS

Adjusted hospital admission rates per 100000 population for AMI decreased markedly from 141.1 in 2005 to 119.2 in 2007, with a further reduction to 102.9 in 2013. Reductions in hospital admission were recorded in both men and women, but the downward trends were stronger in women.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish comprehensive smoking ban was associated with a marked reduction in the adjusted rate of hospital admissions due to AMI in the Autonomous Community of Valencia. This decrease in the number of persons requiring in-patient care due to AMI is important from both a health care and a societal perspective.

Lifestyle factors and high-risk atherosclerosis: Pathways and mechanisms beyond traditional risk factors

Despite major efforts to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) burden with conventional risk factor control, significant residual risk remains. Recent evidence on non-traditional determinants of cardiometabolic health has advanced our understanding of lifestyle-disease interactions. Chronic exposure to environmental stressors like poor diet quality, sedentarism, ambient air pollution and noise, sleep deprivation and psychosocial stress affect numerous traditional and non-traditional intermediary pathways related to ASCVD. These include body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength and functionality and the intestinal microbiome, which are increasingly recognized as major determinants of cardiovascular health. Evidence points to partially overlapping mechanisms, including effects on inflammatory and nutrient sensing pathways, endocrine signalling, autonomic function and autophagy. Of particular relevance is the potential of low-risk lifestyle factors to impact on plaque vulnerability through altered adipose tissue and skeletal muscle phenotype and secretome. Collectively, low-risk lifestyle factors cause a set of phenotypic adaptations shifting tissue cross-talk from a proinflammatory milieu conducive for high-risk atherosclerosis to an anti-atherogenic milieu. The ketone body ß-hydroxybutyrate, through inhibition of the NLRP-3 inflammasome, is likely to be an intermediary for many of these observed benefits. Adhering to low-risk lifestyle factors adds to the prognostic value of optimal risk factor management, and benefit occurs even when the impact on conventional risk markers is discouragingly minimal or not present. The aims of this review are (a) to discuss novel lifestyle risk factors and their underlying biochemical principles and (b) to provide new perspectives on potentially more feasible recommendations to improve long-term adherence to low-risk lifestyle factors.

The effect of outdoor smoking ban: Evidence from Korea

To address exposure to secondhand smoke, which is highly prevalent in Korea, local governments have implemented smoking bans at open public places (parks, bus stops, and school zones) since 2011. Exploiting temporal and spatial variation in the implementation dates of these bans, this study estimates their causal effects on individual smoking behavior. The individual-level longitudinal data from the 2009-2017 Korean Labor and Income Panel Study are linked to the smoking ban legislation information from the National Law Information Center. I find robust evidence that outdoor smoking bans increased the probability of making a quit attempt by 16%. This effect appears immediately after a ban goes into effect and lasts for three or more years. People who spend more time outdoors are more likely to change smoking behavior. I also find heterogeneity in effects across the amount of monetary penalty. Whereas the policy change did not affect the prevalence of smoking overall, higher penalties had stronger impacts on reducing the intensity of smoking and increasing the propensity to try to quit.

Impact of active smoking on the immature platelet fraction and its relationship with the extent of coronary artery disease

INTRODUCTION

Smoking represents a major cardiovascular risk factor, due to the induction of oxidative stress and low-grade, continuous, inflammation that contribute to promote atherothrombosis. However, the mechanisms leading to increased platelet aggregability associated with smoking are only partially defined. A potential role has been hypothesized for immature platelets, a younger and potentially more reactive fraction, previously associated with the main determinants of coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, the aim of our study was to define the impact of smoking on the immature platelet fraction (IPF) and its relationship with prevalence and extent of coronary artery disease.

METHODS

We enrolled a cohort of consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography in a single centre. Significant CAD was defined as at least 1 vessel stenosis >50%, while severe CAD was defined as left main and/or three-vessel disease. IPF was measured at admission by routine blood cell count (Sysmex XE-2100).

RESULTS

We included in our study 2553 patients who were divided according to smoking status (active smokers: 512; nonactive smokers: 2041). Smokers were younger, more frequent males, with lower rate of diabetes mellitus, previous PCI and previous CABG (P < .001, respectively) and were in treatment less often with ARB, BB, nitrates, statins, ASA, clopidogrel, CCB and diuretics (P < .001, respectively) as compared to nonactive smokers. Higher percentage of smokers was observed in patients with higher IPF values, and at multivariate analysis, active smoking resulted as an independent predictor of higher IPF (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 1.59[1.03-2.45], P = .035). Among smokers, higher IPF was associated with lower ejection fraction (P = .034), percentage of acute coronary syndrome (P = .002) and platelet count (P < .001) compared to ones with lower IPF. However, the IPF (according to quartiles values) was not associated with the prevalence and extent of CAD (82.5%, 80.4%, 86.1% and 80.9%, from 1st to 4th quartile, respectively, adjusted OR[95% CI] = 0.98[0.79-1.23], P = .89) and severe CAD (31%, 31.1%, 39.1% and 35.2%, from 1st to 4th quartile, respectively, adjusted OR[95% CI] = 1.03[0.86-1.23], P = .76).

CONCLUSION

The present study shows an independent association between active smoking and the levels of immature platelet fraction in patients undergoing coronary angiography. However, among active smokers, IPF did not result as an independent predictor of CAD or severe CAD.

Associations of Smoke-Free Policies in Restaurants, Bars, and Workplaces With Blood Pressure Changes in the CARDIA Study

Background

Smoke‐free legislation has been associated with reductions in secondhand smoke exposure and cardiovascular disease. However, it remains unknown whether smoke‐free policies are associated with reductions in blood pressure (BP).

Methods and Results

Longitudinal data from 2606 nonsmoking adult participants of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) Study (1995–2011) were linked to state, county, and local‐level 100% smoke‐free policies in bars, restaurants, and/or nonhospitality workplaces based on participants’ census tract of residence. Mixed‐effects models estimated associations of policies with BP and hypertension trajectories over 15 years of follow‐up. Fixed‐effects regression estimated associations of smoke‐free policies with within‐person changes in systolic and diastolic BP and hypertension. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic, health‐related, and policy/geographic covariates. Smoke‐free policies were associated with between‐person differences and within‐person changes in systolic BP. Participants living in areas with smoke‐free policies had lower systolic BP on average at the end of follow‐up compared with those in areas without policies (adjusted predicted mean differences [in mm Hg]: restaurant: −1.14 [95% confidence interval: −2.15, −0.12]; bar: −1.52 [−2.48, −0.57]; workplace: −1.41 [−2.32, −0.50]). Smoke‐free policies in restaurants and bars were associated with mean within‐person reductions in systolic BP of −0.85 (−1.61, −0.09) and −1.08 (−1.82, −0.34), respectively. Only restaurant policies were associated with a significant within‐person reduction in diastolic BP, of −0.58 (−1.15, −0.01).

Conclusions

While the magnitude of associations was small at the individual level, results suggest a potential mechanism through which reductions in secondhand smoke because of smoke‐free policies may improve population‐level cardiovascular health.

See Editorial by https://10.1161/JAHA.118.011120

The effect of smoke-free legislation on the mortality rate of acute myocardial infarction: a meta-analysis

Background

Several studies have demonstrated that smoke-free legislation is associated with a reduced risk of mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aimed to examine and quantify the potential effect of smoke-free legislation on AMI mortality rate in different countries.

Methods

Studies were identified using a systematic search of the scientific literature from electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Embase, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), from their inception through September 30, 2017. A random effects model was employed to estimate the overall effects of smoke-free legislation on the AMI mortality rate. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the possible causes of heterogeneity in risk estimates based on sex and age. The results of meta-analysis after excluding the studies with a high risk of bias were reported in this study.

Results

A total of 10 eligible studies with 16 estimates of effect size were included in this meta-analysis. Significant heterogeneity in the risk estimates was identified (overall I² = 94.6%, p < 0.001). Therefore, a random effects model was utilized to estimate the overall effect of smoke-free legislation. There was an 8% decline in AMI mortality after introducing smoke-free legislation (RR = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90–0.94). The results of subgroup analyses showed that smoke-free legislation was significantly associated with lower rates of mortality for the following 5 diagnostic subgroups: smoke-free in workplaces, restaurants and bars (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.90–0.95), smaller sample size (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.95), study location in Europe (RR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85–0.94), regional study area (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.94), and no previous local smoke-free legislation (RR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.90–0.93). However, there was not much difference in AMI mortality rates after the legislation between the longer (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.98) and shorter follow-up duration subgroups (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89–0.94).

Conclusion

Smoke-free legislation could significantly reduce the AMI mortality rate by 8%. The reduction in the AMI mortality rate was more significant in studies with more comprehensive laws, without prior smoke-free bans, with a smaller sample size, at the regional level, and with a location in Europe.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12889-019-7408-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The limits of single-group interrupted time series analysis in assessing the impact of smoke-free laws on short-term mortality

BACKGROUND

Decreases in circulatory/respiratory morbimortality after the January-2006 Spanish partial smoke-free law have been found using designs without control groups, such as single-group interrupted time series (ITS), which are prone to biases. The aim was to reassess the law's impact on mortality using ITS designs with robustness checks.

METHODS

A comprehensive cohort of people aged ≥25 in each calendar-year of 2002-2007, living in 13 of 18 Spanish regions, was followed up between 01/2002 and 12/2007. The law included a smoking ban in indoor public and workplaces, allowing exceptions in catering, hospitality and leisure venues, and other interventions. Post-law changes in monthly coronary/respiratory mortality were estimated using segmented regression, adjusting for relevant covariates, including seasonality, extreme temperatures, influenza incidence and air pollution. The validity of results was assessed using control outcomes, hypothetical law dates, and non-equivalent control groups, analysing their results as difference-in-differences (DID) designs.

RESULTS

Significant immediate post-law decreases in coronary, respiratory and non-tobacco-related mortality were observed among people aged ≥70. A significant immediate post-law decrease in respiratory mortality (-12.7%) was also observed among people age 25-69, although this was neutralized by a subsequent upward trend before 1.5 years. More favourable post-law changes in coronary/respiratory mortality among the target (people aged 25-69) than control groups (people aged ≥70 or women aged ≥80) were not identified in DID designs. Establishing hypothetical law dates, immediate decreases began in February/March 2005 with maxima between April and July 2005.

CONCLUSIONS

After robustness checks, the results do not support a clear positive impact of the 2006 Spanish smoke-free law on short-term coronary/respiratory mortality. The favourable immediate changes observed pre- and post-law could derive mainly from the harvesting effect of the January-2005 cold wave. This highlights the risks of assessing the impact of health interventions using both morbimortality outcomes and designs without a control group and adequate robustness checks.

Hospital burden of coronary artery disease: Trends of myocardial infarction and/or percutaneous coronary interventions in France 2009-2014

BACKGROUND

Currently, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is widely acknowledged to be the first leading cause of fatality in the world with 31% of all deaths worldwide and is predicted to remain as such in 2030. Furthermore, CVD is also a major cause of morbidity in adults worldwide. Among these diseases, the coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause, accounting for over 40% of CVD deaths. Despite a decline in mortality rates, the consequences of more effective preventive and management programs, the burden of CAD remains significant. Indeed, the rise in the prevalence of modifiable risk factors due to changes in lifestyle and health behaviors has further increased the burden of this epidemic. Our objective was to evaluate the hospital burden of CAD via MI trends and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) in the French Prospective Payment System (PPS).

METHODS

MI/PCI were identified in the national PPS database from 2009 to 2014 for patients aged 20 to 99, living in metropolitan France. We examined hospitalisation, readmission and mortality trends using standardised rates.

RESULTS

Over the six-year period, we identified 678,021 patients, representing 900,121 stays of which, 215,224 had a MI and a PCI. Admission trends increased by nearly 25%. Acute MI cases increased every year, with an alarming increase in women, and more specifically in young women. Men were 3 times more hospitalised than women, who were older. A North-South divide was noted. Twenty seven percent of patients experienced readmission within 1 month. Trajectories of care were significantly different by sex and age. Overall in-hospital death was 3.3%, decreasing by 15% during the period. The highest adjusted mortality rates were observed for inpatients aged <40 or >80.

CONCLUSION

We outlined the public health burden of this condition and the importance of improving the trajectories of care as an aid for better care.

Predicting coronary artery disease: a comparison between two data mining algorithms

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases (CADs) are the first leading cause of death across the world. World Health Organization has estimated that morality rate caused by heart diseases will mount to 23 million cases by 2030. Hence, the use of data mining algorithms could be useful in predicting coronary artery diseases. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the positive predictive value (PPV) of CAD using artificial neural network (ANN) and SVM algorithms and their distinction in terms of predicting CAD in the selected hospitals.

METHODS

The present study was conducted by using data mining techniques. The research sample was the medical records of the patients with coronary artery disease who were hospitalized in three hospitals affiliated to AJA University of Medical Sciences between March 2016 and March 2017 (n = 1324). The dataset and the predicting variables used in this study was the same for both data mining techniques. Totally, 25 variables affecting CAD were selected and related data were extracted. After normalizing and cleaning the data, they were entered into SPSS (V23.0) and Excel 2013. Then, R 3.3.2 was used for statistical computing.

RESULTS

The SVM model had lower MAPE (112.03), higher Hosmer-Lemeshow test's result (16.71), and higher sensitivity (92.23). Moreover, variables affecting CAD (74.42) yielded better goodness of fit in SVM model and provided more accurate result than the ANN model. On the other hand, since the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in the SVM algorithm was more than this area in ANN model, it could be concluded that SVM model had higher accuracy than the ANN model.

CONCLUSION

According to the results, the SVM algorithm presented higher accuracy and better performance than the ANN model and was characterized with higher power and sensitivity. Overall, it provided a better classification for the prediction of CAD. The use of other data mining algorithms are suggested to improve the positive predictive value of the disease prediction.

Walk Score® and Its Associations with Older Adults' Health Behaviors and Outcomes

This study aimed to investigate the associations between Walk Score^® and lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in older Taiwanese adults. A nationwide survey was conducted through telephone-based interviews with older adults (65 years and older) in Taiwan. Data on Walk Score^®, lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, healthy eating behavior, alcohol use, and smoking status), health outcomes (overweight/obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease), and personal characteristics were obtained from 1052 respondents. A binary logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders was employed. None of the Walk Score^® categories were related to the recommended levels of total physical activity. The categories "very walkable" and "walker's paradise" were positively related to total sedentary time and TV viewing among older adults. No significant associations were found between Walk Score^® and other lifestyle health behaviors or health outcomes. While Walk Score^® was not associated with recommended levels of physical activity, it was positively related to prolonged sedentary time in the context of a non-Western country. The different associations between the walk score and health lifestyle behaviors and health outcomes in different contexts should be noted.

Updating the evidence relating smoking bans to incidence of heart disease

In our latest update of the evidence on smoking bans and heart disease we summarize 59 studies. We take account of the underlying trends in incidence rates as far as possible by using control data in eight studies, and by adjustment based on observed trends in cases pre- and post-ban in 40 studies, being unable to make an adjustment in the remaining 11 studies. Overall, based on 62 independent estimates from the 59 studies, we estimate that bans reduce incidence by 5.0% (95% CI 3.2-6.8%), though this estimate reduces to 2.9% (0.01-5.6%) when we exclude regional estimates where national estimates are available, and studies where trend adjustment is not possible. For 25 of the studies, quadratic rather than linear adjustment is possible, but this hardly affects the overall estimates. Ban effects are somewhat greater when the pre-ban period studied is relatively short, and in smaller studies. We compare our findings with those in other recent reviews, one of which totally ignored underlying trends and results from control populations. We discuss reasons why we believe there is likely to be a true small effect of smoking bans, and weaknesses in the data which preclude reaching any very confident conclusion.

Effects of national smoke-free legislation on the rates of preterm births and low birthweights in Taiwan

This study evaluated the effects of partial and complete island-wide smoking bans on perinatal outcomes in Taiwan. Trends were determined in the yearly prevalence rates for preterm births and low birth weight (LBW) for a 1978 to 1997 pre-ban period, a 1998 to 2008 Phase 1 partial ban period, and a 2009 to 2016 Phase 2 complete ban period. Poisson regression with a yearly time-series model was employed to determine alterations in trends in prevalence rates for preterm births and LBW. Compared with pre-ban period, the rate ratio (RR) for Phase 1 preterm births was 0.969 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.968-0.971) and Phase 2 0.995 (95% CI = 0.992-0.998). The Phase 1 RR LBW fell 0.4% (95% CI = 0.2%-0.5%), but Phase 2 RR rose 1.7% (95% CI = 1.4%-2.1%). Data indicated that the risk of preterm births and LBW in Taiwan was reduced significantly after implementation of the smoking ban. These findings are in agreement with growing evidence suggesting that smoke-free legislation exerted a beneficial health effect on pregnant women and their newborn infants.

Can a smoking ban save your heart?

This paper evaluates the causal effect of environmental tobacco exposure on health by exploiting the time and geographical variation in public-place smoking bans implemented in Switzerland between 2007 and 2011. We use administrative data on hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction, which allow to measure the short-run effects of the policy on an objective metric of health. We show that the incidence of acute myocardial infarction decreases by approximately 8% immediately after implementation of the law with large heterogeneity across regions. Our results indicate that the policy was effective in reducing the negative externality of smoking with potential spillovers on health inequality.

Impact of 2 Successive Smoking Bans on Hospital Admissions for Cardiovascular Diseases in Spain

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of 2 smoking bans enacted in 2006 (partial ban) and 2011 (comprehensive ban) on hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease in the Spanish adult population.

METHODS

The study was performed in 14 provinces in Spain. Hospital admission records were collected for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic heart disease (IHD), and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in patients aged ≥ 18 years from 2003 through 2012. We estimated immediate and 1-year effects with segmented-linear models. The coefficients for each province were combined using random-effects multivariate meta-analysis models.

RESULTS

Overall, changes in admission rates immediately following the implementation of the partial ban and 1 year later were -1.8% and +1.2% for AMI, +0.1 and +0.4% for IHD, and +1.0% and +2.8% for CVD (P>.05). After the comprehensive ban, immediate changes were -2.3% for AMI, -2.6% for IHD, and -0.8% for CVD (P>.05), only to return to precomprehensive ban values 1 year later. For patients aged ≥ 65 years of age, immediate changes associated with the comprehensive ban were -5.0%, -3.9%, and -2.3% for AMI, IHD, and CVD, respectively (P<.05). Again, the 1-year changes were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

In Spain, smoking bans failed to significantly reduce hospitalizations for AMI, IHD, or CVD among patients ≥ 18 years of age. In the population aged ≥ 65 years, hospital admissions due to these diseases showed significant decreases immediately after the implementation of the comprehensive ban, but these reductions disappeared at the 1-year evaluation.

Longitudinal Associations of Smoke-Free Policies and Incident Cardiovascular Disease: CARDIA Study

BACKGROUND

Smoke-free legislation has been associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease hospital admissions in ecological studies. However, prior studies lacked detailed information on individual-level factors (eg, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics) that could potentially confound associations. Our objective was to estimate associations of smoke-free policies with incident cardiovascular disease in a longitudinal cohort after controlling for sociodemographics, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and policy covariates.

METHODS

Longitudinal data from 3783 black and white adults in the CARDIA study (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults; 1995-2015) were linked to state, county, and local 100% smoke-free policies in bars, restaurants, and nonhospitality workplaces by Census tract. Extended Cox regression estimated hazard ratios (HRs) of incident cardiovascular disease associated with time-dependent smoke-free policy exposures. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, cardiovascular disease risk factors, state cigarette tax, participant-reported presence of a smoking ban at their workplace, field center, and metropolitan statistical area poverty.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 20 years (68 332 total person-years), 172 participants had an incident cardiovascular disease event (2.5 per 1000 person-years). Over the follow-up period, 80% of participants lived in areas with smoke-free policies in restaurants, 67% in bars, and 65% in nonhospitality workplaces. In fully adjusted models, participants living in an area with a restaurant, bar, or workplace smoke-free policy had a lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease compared with those in areas without smoke-free policies (HR, 0.75, 95% confidence interval, 0.49-1.15; HR, 0.76, 95% confidence interval, 0.47-1.24; HR, 0.54, 95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.86, respectively; HR, 0.58, 95% confidence interval, 0.33-1.00 for living in an area with all 3 types of policies compared with none). The estimated preventive fraction was 25% for restaurant policies, 24% for bar policies, and 46% for workplace policies.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistent with prior ecological studies, these individual-based data add to the evidence that 100% smoke-free policies are associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged adults.

Survey on the Status of Smoking Inside Eating Establishments in the Cities of Kobe and Amagasaki

BACKGROUND

The Hyogo Prefectural Government has been enforcing a smoking ban ordinance since April 2013. The present survey was conducted to determine the extent to which the smoking ban has been successfully implemented in eating establishments in Kobe City and Amagasaki City.Methods and Results:The Health and Welfare Department of the Hyogo Prefectural Government provided a list of eating establishments in Kobe and Amagasaki City. From these, we chose 1,300 from each city using random number generation. Responses were obtained from 310 establishments in Kobe City (response rate: 23.8%) and 297 in Amagasaki City (22.8%). Overall, 58.1% of the establishments surveyed in Kobe City were aware of the ordinance, a recognition rate significantly higher than that of Amagasaki City, where only 45.5% of eateries were aware of the ordinance (P=0.003). Of the Kobe City eateries, 31.7% had succeeded in implementing a complete ban on smoking. In Amagasaki City, the rate was significantly lower, at just 13.4% (P<0.001). A logistic regression analysis showed that coffee shops, Japanese-style taverns, bars, and eating establishments that served alcohol were the independent significant predictors of low compliance. Kobe City restaurants, women, and families were the independent significant predictors of high compliance with the complete smoking ban.

CONCLUSIONS

The rates of recognition and implementation of the complete smoking ban were significantly lower in Amagasaki City than in Kobe City. There needs to be a strong and continuous socialization campaign to promote the ordinance.