Plasma fibrinogen levels were determined using comparable methods for 329 J
apanese men in Hiroshima Japan, and 3571 Japanese-American men in Honolulu
Hawaii, aged 71-93 years. The age-adjusted mean fibrinogen level in Japanes
e-American men (307 mg/dl) was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than in na
tive Japanese men (270 mg/dl). In multiple linear regression models, the fi
brinogen level was associated significantly and positively with white blood
cell count (WBC) and total cholesterol, and inversely with HDL cholesterol
and hematocrit in both study samples. The strongest association with fibri
nogen was shown for WBC, and this association was not mediated through ciga
rette smoking. The observed difference in fibrinogen levels could not be fu
lly explained by WBC, total and HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, hematocrit,
body mass index, and diabetes. Some unmeasured environmental or lifestyle v
ariables such as diet and physical activity may be partly responsible for t
he observed difference in fibrinogen levels between native Japanese men and
Japanese-American men in Hawaii. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights
reserved.