title: The determinants of plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 levels differ for American and Japanese men aged 40-49.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were associated with higher incidence of type II diabetes. Elucidating the determinants of PAI-1 in various ethnicities may help to understand the susceptibility to developing diabetes. The aim of our study was to compare PAI-1 levels between Americans and the Japanese in the post-war generation and to elucidate the determinants of the PAI-1 levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study on a total of 198 men aged 40-49 in the US (Body mass index (BMI): 27.0+/-3.3 kg/m(2)) and Japan (BMI: 23.3+/-3.1 kg/m(2)). Examination included physique measurement (BMI and waist girth), blood analysis (lipid profiles, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, and PAI-1), and life-style assessment by self-administered questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PAI-1 levels were significantly lower in American than in Japanese men, even after adjustment for age, waist girth, cigarette smoking, habitual alcohol drinking, and other factors. In the Americans, waist girth, insulin, and cigarette smoking were significantly associated with PAI-1 levels, while waist girth and triglycerides were significantly associated with PAI-1 levels in the Japanese.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PAI-1 levels were significantly lower in American than in Japanese men and the determinants of PAI-1 levels differ for American and Japanese men aged 40-49.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takamiya
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kadowaki
authors.forename: Wahid R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Zaky
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ueshima
authors.forename: Rhobert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Atsunori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kita
authors.forename: Russell P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Tracy
authors.forename: Lewis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C051321:SERPINE1 protein, human; D014280:Triglycerides