The relationship between urinary cations obtained from the INTERSALT study and cerebrovascular mortality.

An epidemiological study on the relationship between 24 hour urinary sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and creatinine (Creat), as obtained from the INTERSALT study, and cerebrovascular disease (CVA) mortality in the age-standardised group 45-74 years, was conducted using data from 25 countries worldwide. A significant positive relationship was observed by multivariate analysis between cerebrovascular disease mortality and 24 hour urinary Na excretion in men, with Na/K ratio in women and with Na/Creat ratio in all groups. A significant negative correlation was found between the 24 hour urinary magnesium excretion and CVA mortality in men and in men and women averaged, while 24 hour urinary potassium excretion correlated significantly and negatively with CVA mortality in women. No significant relationship between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 24 hour urinary calcium excretion and BMI with CVA mortality could be established. A log10 transformation revealed a significant positive relationship between Ca/Mg ratio with CVA mortality in men as well as in the group of men and women averaged. A significant negative correlation between CVA mortality and 24 hour creatinine excretion was found. This relationship was stronger in men and could point to a protective effect of protein intake. The findings also point to a direct relationship between dietary cation intake and CVA mortality.