Black/White Differences in Risk Factors for Arteriographically Documented Coronary Artery Disease in Men

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
H. William Gruchow, Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: Although the leading cause of death among black men in the United States is coronary artery disease (CAD), risk factors have not been well documented in black populations. Therefore, possible racial differences in the relation of several characteristics to the extent of CAD were assessed in 4,722 white and 169 black men who underwent arteriography. Associations between an occlusion score (ranging from 0 to 300), reflecting the severity of CAD, and levels of total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, relative weight, systemic hypertension and diabetes mellitus were examined. Most risk factors were significantly related to the extent of CAD in both races, but lipid levels showed stronger associations with CAD among blacks: correlations between CAD and total cholesterol were 0.16 (whites) vs 0.29 (blacks) and associations with HDL cholesterol were -0.22 (whites) vs -0.49 (blacks). In addition, at adverse levels of certain risk factors, blacks had more extensive CAD than did whites: mean occlusion scores were 148 (whites) and 238 (blacks) at HDL cholesterol levels <30 mg/dl. As assessed by multiple linear regression, however, only triglyceride levels were differentially related to CAD between whites (β = 0) and blacks (β = 0.47), p <0.01 for racial contrast. These results document the importance of risk factors in black men and indicate black/white differences in the relation of triglycerides to CAD.

Additional Information

Publication
American Journal of Cardiology 62:214-219, 1988.
Language: English
Date: 1988
Keywords
Risk factors, Coronary artery disease, Men, Ethnic differences

Email this document to