The Prognostic Value of Combined Smoking and Alcohol Consumption Habits for the Estimation of Cause-Specific Mortality in Middle-Age and Elderly Population: Results from a Long-Term Cohort Study in Lithuania

Abstract EN

Aim.

To evaluate the prognostic value of combined smoking and alcohol consumption habits for the estimation of cause-specific mortality risk in middle-age and elderly population.

Methods.

The study presents data from the four surveys.

A random sample of 6,729 subjects aged 35–64 years was selected for statistical analysis.

During the follow-up of 31 years (1983–2014), there were 2,158 deaths from any cause.

Multivariate Cox’s proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality and Competing Risk Regression analysis was used to estimate subdistribution hazard risk (SHR) for cause-specific mortality.

Results.

Smoking clearly increased the risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but alcohol use had little effect in men aged 35–64 years.

However, heavy alcohol consumption (>14 units/week) increased the risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from external causes in the never-smokers men group who drank alcohol of 1–14 units/week (HR 2 = 1.57 and SHR 2 = 2.40, resp.).

Conclusions.

The smoking habits and alcohol consumption are modifiable risk factors, and thus efforts to support abstinence from alcohol and smoking use should be a public health priority.