RELATION OF FIBRINOGEN TO LIFE-STYLES AND TO CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN A WORKING POPULATION

Background. The association between fibrinogen and smoking behaviour, age, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate and plasma lipid prof ile, was assessed in a cohort of middle-aged working men. Methods. Sev en hundred and forty five subjects were examined as part of a health i ntervention programme at the worksite. Nine subjects were excluded fro m the study because of prevalent diabetes, Correlates of plasma fibrin ogen concentrations were evaluated through univariate and multivariate methods. Results. In multiple regression analysis fibrinogen correlat ed with age, smoking behaviour, apolipoprotein B (ape B) apolipoprotei n A-l (ape A-l) and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) levels, which together exp lained 11% of the variation in fibrinogen concentration. From this mod el, fibrinogen concentration was associated with an increase of 13.6 m g/dl for every 10 years' increase in age, 28.2 mg/dl if a person smoke d, and 4.6 mg/dl and 3.8 mg/dl with a 20 mg/dl rise in respectively ap o B and Lp(a). A 20 mg/dl increase in apo A-l concentrations was estim ated to be associated with a 6.0 mg/dl lower fibrinogen level. Conclus ion. The data indicate that both biochemical and lifestyle factors are related to the plasma fibrinogen concentration; these interactions ma y explain partly the relationship between fibrinogen and cardiovascula r disease.