Earthquake and coronary heart disease risk factors: a longitudinal study.
The longitudinal association between a number of coronary heart disease risk factors and the experience of a natural disaster (earthquake) was analyzed in a group of workers participating in a longitudinal epidemiologic investigation. The 5-year follow-up examination was interrupted by a major earthquake, and examinations were resumed 2 weeks after the quake. Participants screened after the quake had, on average, higher heart rates, serum cholesterol, and triglycerides than participants examined before the quake; these differences were independent from the coronary heart disease risk factor values measured 5 years previously during the baseline examination. The data collected during the 12-year examination indicated that the observed short-term increase in serum lipids and heart rate was not present long-term (7 years after the quake). These longitudinal data indicate that exposure to a natural disaster can be associated with short-term increases in heart rate, serum cholesterol, and triglycerides but that there is no apparent long-term effect on these coronary heart disease risk factors.
Trevisan
M
M
Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, State University, Buffalo, NY 14214.
Jossa
F
F
Farinaro
E
E
Krogh
V
V
Panico
S
S
Giumetti
D
D
Mancini
M
M
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004190:Disasters; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol