Association between the newly proposed Chinese dietary inflammatory index and risk of ischemic stroke: a multi-centered case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is a key mechanism in ischemic stroke pathogenesis. This study investigates the association between the Chinese Dietary Inflammatory Index (CHINA-DII) and ischemic stroke risk in a Chinese population. METHODS: In this multi-centered hospital-based case-control study, 292 Chinese patients with first-ever ischemic stroke were compared with 292 age- and sex-matched controls. The CHINA-DII was calculated based on dietary intakes linked to inflammation, including specific nutrients and foods that contribute to pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory pathways. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CHINA-DII percentiles, adjusting for key potential confounders. RESULTS: Compared to controls, stroke patients had a significantly higher CHINA-DII scores than controls (-1.16 ± 1.01 vs. -1.88 ± 0.95, p < 0.001). In multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analyses, each one-unit increase in CHINA-DII score was associated with a 27% higher odds of stroke (OR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.10-1.46). Compared with participants in the lowest tertile of CHINA-DII, those in the highest tertile had 2.41-fold greater odds of stroke (OR: 2.41; 95% CI: 1.51-3.84; P for trend = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A higher CHINA-DII score is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke in this Chinese cohort. While dietary inflammatory factors may contribute to stroke risk, the role of individual dietary antioxidants in stroke prevention remains uncertain.