Abstract

Background: In the last forty years, a sustained reduction in the gastric cancer and cerebrovascular disease mortality has been recorded. Joossens has postulated that sodium intake has an influence in the natural history of both diseases. Aim: To analyze the mortality caused by both diseases in Chile. Material and methods: The mortality of people aged 35 to 64 years old, due to gastric cancer and cerebrovascular diseases in the period 1955-1994, iras analyzed. An analysis according to regions, using temporal series and correlation techniques was performed. Results: In the studied period, the mortality due to gastric cancer decreased by 71.6% In men and by 79.5% in women. Mortality due to cerebrovascular diseases decreased by 56.9% in men and by 63.9% in women. There was a correlation coefficient of + 0.91 between the mortality due to both diseases. Cerebrovascular disease mortality appears as a predictor of gastric cancer mortality in temporal series analysis. Conclusions: Joossens theories are supported by the present data. Prospective studies should be designed to confirm the hypothesis.