RISK-FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE IN CANADIANS OF SOUTH ASIAN AND EUROPEAN ORIGIN - A PILOT-STUDY OF THE STUDY OF HEART ASSESSMENT AND RISK IN ETHNIC-GROUPS (SHARE)

Objective: To test the feasibility of recruitment strategies and a 2-h our cardiovascular (CV) health assessment (including laboratory tests and questionnaires) in preparation for a national, population-based st udy to determine CV risk factors among Canadians of different ethnic o rigins. Design: Cross-sectional study of people of South Asian and Eur opean origin from Hamilton, Ont., identified by community-based strati fied random sampling. Setting: University-affiliated research clinic i n Hamilton, Ont. Participants: Thirty-one Canadians of South Asian ori gin and 20 Canadians of European origin 35 to 75 years of age. Interve ntions: Subjects attended a clinic at which they completed a health qu estionnaire, provided fasting and postprandial blood samples, and unde rwent B-mode carotid ultrasonographic examination as well as anthropom etric, nutritional and psychosocial assessments. Results: The particip ants of South Asian origin had lived in Canada for 18 years, on averag e, compared with 48 years for those of European origin. More participa nts of South Asian origin were married than those of European origin, and fewer smoked or consumed alcohol. Participants of South Asian orig in were more likely to have some university education. The prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance was 34.5% in the participants of South A sian origin and 9.5% in those of European origin (p < 0.04). The total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein ratio was elevated in the par ticipants of South Asian origin (5.1), compared with those of European origin (4.2) (p < 0.05), as was the lipoprotein (a) concentration (lo g transformed) (5.5 v. 4.6 mg/dL, p < 0.02). Conclusions: This pilot s tudy revealed intriguing lifestyle and metabolic differences between p articipants of South Asian and European origin. Those of South Asian o rigin had a higher prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipide mia and elevated lipoprotein (a) concentrations - factors thought to b e associated with premature CVD in this group.