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. 1996 Nov-Dec;6(2):72-8.
doi: 10.1016/s1052-3057(96)80006-1.

Stroke in former prisoners of war

L M Brass  1 , W F Page
Affiliations

Stroke in former prisoners of war

L M Brass et al. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 1996 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: Physiological changes associated with severe or chronic stress may place susceptible individuals at risk for diseases such as stroke.

Methods: A cohort of World War II veterans consisting of former prisoners of war (POWs) and controls was studied. Data were from a follow-up examination in 1986 that included a standardized history, comprehensive examination, and psychiatric interview.

Results: Of former POWs, 9.3% (44 of 475) reported strokes compared with 1.2% (1 of 81) for other World War II veterans. The relative risk for this association was 7.50 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 53.7; chi(2) = 6.00, 1 df). There was no difference in the prevalence of hypertension or diabetes. Among the 475 former POWs, 12.7% (20 of 158) of those with posttraumatic stress disorder had strokes, compared with 7.6% (24 of 317) without posttraumatic stress disorder (relative risk, 1.67; 95% CI, 0.95 to 2.93; chi(2) = 3.25, 1 df).

Conclusions: There appears to be an association between stroke and being a former POW. Our findings may begin to define a new class of stroke risk factors and extend our understanding of interactions between stress and disease.

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