Coronary heart disease risk factor levels in eastern and western Finland from 1980 to 2011 in the cardiovascular risk in Young Finns study

Lauri Vähämurto; Katja Pahkala; Costan G Magnussen; Nina Hutri-Kähönen; Mika Kähönen; Tomi Laitinen; Leena Taittonen; Päivi Tossavainen; Terho Lehtimäki; Eero Jokinen; Risto Telama; Tapani Rönnemaa; Jorma Viikari; Markus Juonala; Olli T Raitakari

doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.11.007

Coronary heart disease risk factor levels in eastern and western Finland from 1980 to 2011 in the cardiovascular risk in Young Finns study

Atherosclerosis. 2019 Jan:280:92-98. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.11.007. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland. Electronic address: lauri.vahamurto@utu.fi.
² Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Physical Activity and Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
³ Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
⁶ Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
⁷ Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland.
⁸ Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
⁹ Department of Clinical Chemistry, Fimlab Laboratories and Finnish Cardiovascular Research Center-Tampere, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Tampere, Finland.
¹⁰ Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
¹¹ LIKES-Research Center for Sport and Health Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland.
¹² Department of Medicine, University of Turku and Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
¹³ Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Medicine, University of Turku and Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
¹⁴ Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.

PMID: 30496985
DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.11.007

Abstract

Background and aims: In the 1960s and 1970s, Finland, mortality due to coronary heart disease (CHD) was over 30% higher among Finns residing in the east of the country compared with those residing in the west. Today, CHD mortality remains 20% higher among eastern Finns. The higher incidence of CHD mortality among eastern Finns has largely been explained by higher risk factor levels. Using a unique longitudinal cohort, we aimed to determine if participants who resided in eastern Finland during childhood had higher CHD risk factors in adulthood and from childhood to adulthood.

Methods: The study population included 2063 participants of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, born during the period 1962-1977, with risk factor data available from baseline (1980) when participants were aged 3-18 years, and had risk factor data collected again in adulthood (2011) when aged 34-49 years.

Results: Adult CHD risk factor profile was similar for those who resided in eastern or western Finland in childhood. Over life-course from 1980 to 2011, those subjects with childhood residency in eastern Finland had, on average, higher systolic (p = 0.006) and diastolic (p = 0.0009) blood pressures, total (p = 0.01) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.01), triglycerides (p = 0.04), apoB (p = 0.02), and serum glucose (p < 0.0001) than those who resided in western Finland in childhood.

Conclusions: Our sample of adult Finns aged 34-49 years had a similar CHD risk factor profile irrespective of whether they resided in eastern or western Finland during their childhood. However, when considering participants risk factor profiles over a 31-year period, those who resided in eastern Finland in childhood were associated with a less favorable CHD risk factor profile than those who resided in western Finland in childhood. The observed differences suggest that future CHD mortality might remain higher in eastern Finland compared with western Finland.

Keywords: Adulthood; Atherosclerosis precursors; Cardiovascular disease; Longitudinal; Population; Risk factors.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Anthropometry
Blood Glucose / analysis
Blood Pressure
Cardiovascular Diseases / diagnosis
Cardiovascular Diseases / epidemiology
Child
Child, Preschool
Cholesterol / blood
Coronary Disease / diagnosis*
Coronary Disease / epidemiology*
Fatty Liver / complications
Female
Finland / epidemiology
Follow-Up Studies
Geography
Humans
Hypertension / complications
Life Style
Male
Metabolic Syndrome / complications
Middle Aged
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Social Class

Substances

Blood Glucose
Cholesterol