Egg consumption and risk of heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke: Results from 2 prospective cohorts

Abstract

Background: Some studies have found that egg consumption is associated with a higher risk of ischemic heart disease in patients with diabetes. Epidemiologic studies of egg consumption in relation to risk of heart failure (HF) and stroke types are scarce. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether egg consumption is associated with incidence of HF, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke types. Design: In prospective cohorts of 37,766 men (Cohort of Swedish Men) and 32,805 women (Swedish Mammography Cohort) who were free of cardiovascular disease (CVD), egg consumption was assessed at baseline with a food-frequency questionnaire. Incident CVD cases were identified through linkage with the Swedish National Patient and Cause of Death Registers. The data were analyzed with the use of a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: During 13 y of follow-up, we ascertained 1628 HFs, 3262 MIs, 2039 ischemic strokes, and 405 hemorrhagic strokes in men and 1207 HFs, 1504 MIs, 1561 ischemic strokes, and 294 hemorrhagic strokes in women. There was no statistically significant association between egg consumption and risk of MI or any stroke type in either men or women or HF in women. In men, consumption of ≤6 eggs/wk was not associated with HF risk; however, daily egg consumption (≥1/d) was associated with a 30% higher risk of HF (RR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.67). Egg consumption was not associated with any CVD outcome in individuals with diabetes. Conclusions: Daily egg consumption was not associated with risk of MI or any stroke type in either men or women or with HF in women. Consumption of eggs ≥1 time/d, but not less frequent consumption, was associated with an elevated risk of HF in men.