CORONARY HEART-DISEASE AND NIDDM IN JAPANESE-AMERICANS

Glucose intolerance is associated with increased risk of coronary hear t disease (CHD) in Japanese-Americans, especially in men, Intra-abdomi nal fat, assessed by computed tomography, is increased in those with b oth NIDDM and CHD. Increased intra-abdominal fat (visceral adiposity) with CHD is independent of NIDDM or impaired glucose tolerance, The as sociation between NIDDM and CHD may be explained by the association of each of these conditions with visceral adiposity, However, hyperinsul inemia is associated with CHD only in the presence of diabetes, wherea s triglyceride levels are elevated with CHD independent of glucose tol erance category, These findings suggest that factors other than insuli n levels, such as lipids, may mediate the relationship between viscera l adiposity and CHD. Moreover, these relationships are influenced by g ender.