CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASES AND DIABETES-MELLITUS IN DIFFERENT ETHNIC-GROUPS - THE FINNMARK STUDY

The mortality from coronary and cerebrovascular diseases is higher in Finnmark County than in other Norwegian counties. In a population base d cohort study. we compared the incidence of myocardial infarction, st roke, and diabetes mellitus in different ethnic groups in Finnmark. A total of 10,622 subjects of Norse, Sami, and Finnish origin were follo wed for 14 years. During approximately 150,000 person-years, we identi fied 509 and 84 cases of myocardial infarction, 107 and 75 cases of st roke, and 96 and 73 cases of clinical diabetes mellitus among men and women, respectively. A total of 533 men and 199 women died. Norse subj ects born outside of Finnmark had the most favorable risk factor level s and, in general, the lowest incidence of disease. Men of Finnish ori gin had a higher incidence rate of all endpoints than other men, and F innish women had a higher incidence rate of myocardial infarction than other women. Sami women were more obese but did not have a higher dia betes mellitus incidence than other women. After adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors and height, most ethnic differences were a ttenuated.