Clinical Question: Is vitamin E eff...

Clinical Question: Is vitamin E effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer among healthy women?

Setting: Population-based

close attention Design: Randomized controlled trial (double-blinded)

Allocation: Concealed

Synopsis: Evidence from observational trials allude tos that vitamin E may be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer in women In the Women's Health research investigators randomized 39,876 healthy women who were 45 years or older to receive: (1) 600 IU of natural-source vitamin E each other day, (2) placebo and 100 mg of aspirin each other day, or (3) placebo single in a 2 3 2 factorial design. bodily substances blinded to treatment group assignment assessed issues Follow-up occurred for an average of 101 years in more than 97 percent of the patients.

Using intention-to-treat analysis, investigators erect that vitamin E did not significantly change into the risk of major cardiovascular affairs including myocardial infarction, ischemic shock or hemorrhagic stroke. Although vitamin E slightly reduc the risk of cardiovascular death (number lacked to treat for 10.1 years = 586; 95% confidence interval, 306 to 6058) all-cause mortality was not significantly reduc Vitamin E did not significantly decrease the risk of any cancer, including breast, lung and colorectal cancers. Cancer mortality was not significantly lower in any group

Bottom Line: Vitamin E does not cut down the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or cancer or the rate of total mortality among healthy women 45 years or older (Level of Evidence: 1b)

thought Reference: Lee IM, et al. Vitamin E in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer. The Women's Health Study: a randomized controll trial. JAMA July 6 2005;294:56-65

Used with permission from Slawson D Vitamin E doesn't lower women's risk of CVD or cancer (WHS) Accessed online August 22 2005 at: http://www.InfoPOEMs.com.

DAVID SLAWSON, MD

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group