Blood lipid and lipoprotein levels: relationships with educational level and region of residence in the French SU.VI.MAX study.
BACKGROUND
Blood lipid profile of French men and women obtained from the general population is not well known. Furthermore, the association between these lipids, as a function of other potential risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and sociodemographic factors such as age, educational level, and region of residence is not well studied in large samples in Europe.


METHODS
Data on French healthy volunteers, aged between 40 and 65 years for men (n = 5141) and 35 and 65 years for women (n = 7876) were obtained from the "Supplementation en Vitamines et Mineraux Antioxydants" (SU.VI.MAX) study, a primary prevention trial. Baseline blood samples were collected in 1994-1995 and analyzed for cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoproteins (apo)-B and -A1. The results were analyzed separately for men and women as a function of age, educational level, and area of residence.


RESULTS
Overall, blood lipid levels for men and women did not differ significantly from those reported in other Western industrialized countries. Except for triglyceride in men, all blood lipids were statistically different among ages. In women, cholesterol, apo-A1, and apo-B showed a significant decrease with educational level. Statistical differences were found in both genders between blood lipids and lipoproteins among regions of residence.


CONCLUSIONS
Even if differences between region of residence were found in blood lipid levels, this cannot explain the North-East to South gradient in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in France nor differences between France and other industrialized Western countries.
Bruckert
E
E
Service d'Endocrinologie-Métabolisme, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpétrière, 83 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France. eric.bruckert@psl.ap-hop-paris.fr
Czernichow
S
S
Bertrais
S
S
Paillard
F
F
Tichet
J
J
Galan
P
P
Castetbon
K
K
Hercberg
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004522:Educational Status; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011336:Probability; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol