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Table 1 Demographic characteristics and lifestyle factors of the study population

From: Statin use and association with colorectal cancer survival and risk: case control study with prescription data linkage

Variables

Cases (n = 309)*

Controls (n = 294)*

P-value †

Age at recruitment

60.0 (11.8)

61.4 (13.96)

0.19

Sex:

Men

160 (51.8)

161 (54.8)

 

Women

149 (48.2)

133 (45.2)

0.46

FH risk***:

Low

226 (78.7)

265 (99.6)

 

Medium/High

61 (21.3)

1 (0.4)

<0.001

Smoking status:

Never

103 (33.3)

90 (30.6)

 

Former

87 (28.2)

115 (39.4)

 

Current

41 (13.3)

45 (15.3)

0.18

Not known

78 (25.2)

44 (15.0)

 

Physical activity (cycling & other sport in hours/week) ‡

0

125 (56.6)

128 (53.6)

 

0.1-3.5

56 (25.3)

65 (27.2)

 

3.6-7

23 (10.4)

24 (10.0)

 

>7

17 (7.7)

22 (9.2)

0.48

BMI‡ ¥:

<25

92 (29.8)

80 (27.2)

 

25-29.9

102 (33.0)

105 (35.7)

 

≥30

36 (11.7)

64 (21.8)

0.02

Unknown

79 (25.6)

45 (15.3)

 

Alcohol intake (g/day)‡

12.7 (14.6)

12.9 (13.9)

0.76

Energy intake (kJ/day)‡

11016 (3896)

11054 (4572)

0.80

DEPCAT††

1

33 (10.7)

33 (11.2)

 

2

76 (24.6)

66 (22.4)

 

3

78 (25.2)

79 (26.9)

 

4

69 (22.3)

66 (22.4)

 

5

24 (7.8)

22 (7.5)

 

6

27 (8.7)

27 (9.2)

 

7

2 (0.6)

1 (0.3)

0.99

PMH Bowel disease (incl. IBS)

18 (7.8)

23 (9.3)

0.56

PMH Cancer ±

24 (10.3)

13 (5.1)

0.03

Statin use: at least 1

25 (8.1)

44 (15.0)

<0.01

prescription dispensed 2/12

Male: 18

Male: 31

Male: <0.05

pre-recruitment

Female: 7

Female: 13

Female:0.10

Statin use: at least

24 (7.8)

38 (12.9)

0.04

1prescription dispensed 7/12

Male: 17

Male: 28

Male: 0.08

pre-recruitment

Female: 7

Female: 10

Female: 0.32

Statin use: 2+ prescriptions

24 (7.8)

38 (12.9)

0.04

dispensed. First being at least

Male: 17

Male: 27

Male: 0.11

2/12 pre-recruitment

Female: 7

Female: 11

Female: 0.22

Statin use: 2+ prescriptions

23 (7.4)

34 (11.6)

0.084

dispensed. First prescription at

Male: 16

Male: 25

Male: 0.14

least 7/12 pre-recruitement

Female: 7

Female: 9

Female: 0.45

Regular use of NSAIDs**:

Yes

53 (69.7)

87 (70.7)

 

No

165 (17.1)

146 (17.9)

0.003

Not known

91 (13.1)

61 (11.4)

 

HRT use:

Yes

30 (28.0)

40 (37.0)

 

No

76 (71.0)

68 (63.0)

0.17

Not known

1 (0.9)

0 (0)

 

Hormonal contraception use:

Yes

36 (33.6)

40 (37.0)

 

No

70 (65.4)

67 (62.0)

0.60

Not known

1 (0.9)

1 (0.9)

 
  1. * Mean values and in parenthese standard deviations for quantitative variables; number of subjects and in parentheses percentages for categorical variables.
  2. † P-values from the Pearson χ 2 for categorical variables; from t-test for continuous variables. All statistical tests were 2-sided.
  3. ‡ P-values were computed from the natural logarithmic transformed variables.
  4. ** Regular use = at least four times a week for at least one month.
  5. †† DEPCAT (Carstairs deprivation index) based on the 2001 Census data; 7 categories ranging from very low deprivation (DEPCAT 1) to very high deprivation (DEPCAT 7).
  6. ¥ In calculating the BMI the weight and height used were from 1 year before diagnosis for cases and one year before recruitment for controls.
  7. ± Information on past cancers was self-reported by patients via the lifestyle questionnaire. The question that was asked was: “up until a year ago had you ever been given a diagnosis of cancer?”. Type and staging were not requested.
  8. *** Family history risk was assigned according to the Scottish guidelines: According to the Scottish Executive cancer guidelines (http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/), the criteria for high family history risk of colorectal cancer are: 1) at least three family members affected by colorectal cancer or at least two with colorectal cancer and one with endometrial cancer in at least two generations; one affected relative must be ≤50 years old at diagnosis and one of the relatives must be a first degree relative of the other two; or 2) presence of the HNPCC syndrome; or 3) untested first degree relatives of known gene carriers. The criteria for moderate risk are: 1) one first degree relative affected by colorectal cancer when aged <45 years old; or 2) two affected first degree relatives with one aged <55 years old; or 3) three affected relatives with colorectal or endometrial cancer, who are first degree relatives of each other and one a first degree relative of the consultant. Individuals that do not fulfil all the above criteria are classified as low family history risk (Scottish Executive cancer guidelines).
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BMC Cancer

ISSN: 1471-2407

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