Forward stepwise confounder selection, in which the effect of adding one confounder at a time was evaluated, was based on a more than 10% change in the risk estimate of the exposure variable of interest, irrespective of significance values. Cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus) were included as confounders in the model, although they did not change the risk estimate for the treatment variables with more than 10%, because these are established confounders in the literature and informative as a comparison with the estimates for the treatment variables. All data were adjusted for recent smoking (yes versus no), age at diagnosis (continuous), and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes mellitus). No interaction was found between RT and CT, or between treatment and recent smoking (investigated for RT and CT separately).

MI indicate myocardial infarction; AP, angina pectoris; CHF, congestive heart failure; HR, hazard ratio; RT, radiotherapy; CT, chemotherapy.

Cardiomyopathy was included (n = 33, of whom 10 also had CHF).

Includes primary and salvage treatment.

Patients were not screened for cardiovascular risk factors; data have been obtained from medical records and general practitioners.

Patients who had not received mediastinal irradiation were excluded (n = 233).

Reference values.

Patients (n = 196) have been treated with the MOPP regimen only, 87 patients have been treated with the MOPP regimen and (an)other CT regimen(s).

Patients (n = 153) have been treated with MOPP/ABV regimen only, 43 patients have been treated with the MOPP regimen and (an)other CT regimen(s), and 34 patients have been treated with the ABVD regimen only and 58 patients have been treated with the ABVD regimen and (an)other CT regimen(s).