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Does an active sun exposure habit lower the risk of venous thrombotic events? A D-lightful hypothesis

Lindqvist, P. G. ; Epstein, Elisabeth LU and Olsson, Håkan LU orcid (2009) In Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 7(4). p.605-610
Abstract
Background: Venous and arterial thrombotic complications exhibit a seasonal variation, with risk peaking in winter and dropping to a nadir in summer. We sought a possible correlation between sun exposure habits and venous thromboembolism (VTE) events. Methods: This was a cohort study comprising 40 000 women (1000 per year of age from 25 to 64 years) who were drawn from the southern Swedish population registry for 1990 and followed for a mean of 11 years. Seventy-four per cent answered an inquiry at the inception of the study (n = 29 518), and provided detailed information on their sun exposure habits. Cox regression analysis was used with the presence of VTE as a dependent variable and selected demographics as independent variables. The... (More)
Background: Venous and arterial thrombotic complications exhibit a seasonal variation, with risk peaking in winter and dropping to a nadir in summer. We sought a possible correlation between sun exposure habits and venous thromboembolism (VTE) events. Methods: This was a cohort study comprising 40 000 women (1000 per year of age from 25 to 64 years) who were drawn from the southern Swedish population registry for 1990 and followed for a mean of 11 years. Seventy-four per cent answered an inquiry at the inception of the study (n = 29 518), and provided detailed information on their sun exposure habits. Cox regression analysis was used with the presence of VTE as a dependent variable and selected demographics as independent variables. The main outcome was the relationship between VTE and sun exposure habits. Results: Swedish women who sunbathed during the summer, on winter vacations, or when abroad, or used a tanning bed, were at 30% lower risk of VTE than those who did not. Risk estimates did not change substantially after adjustment for demographic variables. The risk of VTE increased by 50% in winter as compared to the other seasons; the lowest risk was found in the summer. Conclusions: Women with more active sun exposure habits were at a significantly lower risk of VTE. We speculate that greater ultraviolet B light exposure improves a person's vitamin D status, which in turn enhances anticoagulant properties and enhances the cytokine profile. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
sun exposure habits, venous thromboembolism
in
Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis
volume
7
issue
4
pages
605 - 610
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000264373800015
  • scopus:63049101206
ISSN
1538-7933
DOI
10.1111/j.1538-7836.2009.03312.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f564874a-4b20-4f66-aab8-b0e83367d615 (old id 1401792)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:15:58
date last changed
2022-01-27 01:12:02
@article{f564874a-4b20-4f66-aab8-b0e83367d615,
  abstract     = {{Background: Venous and arterial thrombotic complications exhibit a seasonal variation, with risk peaking in winter and dropping to a nadir in summer. We sought a possible correlation between sun exposure habits and venous thromboembolism (VTE) events. Methods: This was a cohort study comprising 40 000 women (1000 per year of age from 25 to 64 years) who were drawn from the southern Swedish population registry for 1990 and followed for a mean of 11 years. Seventy-four per cent answered an inquiry at the inception of the study (n = 29 518), and provided detailed information on their sun exposure habits. Cox regression analysis was used with the presence of VTE as a dependent variable and selected demographics as independent variables. The main outcome was the relationship between VTE and sun exposure habits. Results: Swedish women who sunbathed during the summer, on winter vacations, or when abroad, or used a tanning bed, were at 30% lower risk of VTE than those who did not. Risk estimates did not change substantially after adjustment for demographic variables. The risk of VTE increased by 50% in winter as compared to the other seasons; the lowest risk was found in the summer. Conclusions: Women with more active sun exposure habits were at a significantly lower risk of VTE. We speculate that greater ultraviolet B light exposure improves a person's vitamin D status, which in turn enhances anticoagulant properties and enhances the cytokine profile.}},
  author       = {{Lindqvist, P. G. and Epstein, Elisabeth and Olsson, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{1538-7933}},
  keywords     = {{sun exposure habits; venous thromboembolism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{605--610}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis}},
  title        = {{Does an active sun exposure habit lower the risk of venous thrombotic events? A D-lightful hypothesis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1538-7836.2009.03312.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1538-7836.2009.03312.x}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}