FAMILIAL AGGREGATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASES IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEDIGREES

Familial aggregation of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes has been consistently demonstrated. However, virtually all of the evidence on t he familial patterns of these diseases has come from white population samples. This study evaluates the level of familial excess risk among first degree relatives of 232 African-American pedigrees which include d 1,420 individuals recruited from the Chicago, IL, area. Excess disea se risk was observed among relatives (parents and offsprings) of affec ted probands compared to relatives of unaffected probands for coronary heart disease (odds ratio [OR] = 5.30; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.51-11.23); hy pertension (OR = 1.98, CI = 1.41-2.80); stroke (OR = 3.24; CI = 1.08-9.70); and diabetes (OR = 2.95; CI = 1.55-5.62). The r esults of this study clearly show that coronary heart disease, hyperte nsion, stroke, and diabetes aggregate in some African-American familie s and not others. Unaffected relatives of persons suffering from these diseases should be encouraged to have their blood pressure, lipid, an d blood glucose levels measured at frequent intervals. These recommend ations are particularly urgent in African-American communities because of the disproportionately high morbidity and mortality experienced fr om cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.