ANALYSIS OF THE LATENT STRUCTURE OF RISK-FACTORS FOR CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE - THE ROLE OF FIBRINOGEN

This study, based on a sample of our urban population, has been undert aken aiming to assess the role of fibrinogen in coronary heart disease . A total of 176 subjects (115 males and 61 females) were included in the study. Of these subjects, a total of 84 persons were ill, but with out coronary heart disease in their case histories. Descriptive statis tics and the Principal Component Analysis were carried out using varia bles as it follows: fibrinogen, the total cholesterol values (CH), tri glycerides (TG) high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipopr oteins (LDL), the atherosclerosis Index (LDL/HDL) and Established Risk Factor (ERF = CH/HDL). In the latent space in the Principal Component Analysis three dominant factors were seen in all test subjects for al l variables which explains altogether 71.5% variances. Increase in the fibrinogen level correlates with factor two and three (the protective factor and the age factor respectively). The factors (2 and 3) do not correlate with risk factors LDL/HDL and ERF. The presented investigat ions have shown the importance of the factor analysis, since univariat e methods may lead to mistakes in the interpretation of the role of in dividual variables, depending on to what extent any of the factors men tioned is presented in the sample.