Increased triglyceride levels in a Japanese population living in southern Brazil.
BACKGROUND
In the present study we investigated 96 individuals of Japanese descent living in southern Brazil (Cascavel-PR) in terms of triglyceride (TG) levels (> or < or = 200 mg/dL) and compared them to non-Japanese control individuals.


METHODS
We analyzed TG and total cholesterol (TC) levels by an enzymatic method and apolipoprotein A-I and B (apo A-I and apo B) by a turbidimetric method. We also determined the lipoproteins HDL and LDL by a direct method and by electrophoresis. All these determinations were performed in plasma.


RESULTS
TG levels were above 200 mg/dL in 18.7% of the individuals of Japanese descent and in 8.4% of the controls. Mean TC levels were 259 mg/dL for Japanese descendants and 225 mg/dL for the control group. We observed that individuals of Japanese descent with TG levels above 200 mg/dL had the highest TC, LDL-c, and VLDL-c levels and the lowest HDL-c and apo A-I levels. Body mass index (BMI) was also higher in individuals of Japanese descent with TG above 200 mg/dL.


CONCLUSIONS
This Japanese population has high TG levels compared to control individuals, and diet did not influence these levels.
Parzianello
Leandro
L
Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Cascavel, PR, Brazil.
Parzianello
Nivaldo A
NA
Coelho
Janice C
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D001055:Apolipoproteins B / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D004041:Dietary Fats; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D001055:Apolipoproteins B; D004041:Dietary Fats; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol