High prevalence of cardiovascular risk in patients with toxic oil syndrome: a comparative study using the general Spanish population.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to compare current prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) between a cohort of patients affected by the toxic oil syndrome (TOS) epidemic, which occurred in Spain in 1981, and the unaffected Spanish population.


METHODS
This was a case-referent study covering 1276 TOS cases and a referent population of 2843 (aged 35-65 years) using data collected from 1996 to 2003. Study variables were high blood pressure, hyperglycemia, dyslipemia, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Smoking habit, alcohol intake, family and personal history of ischemic heart disease, as well as a personal history of cerebrovascular disease were also assessed in TOS patients.


RESULTS
Compared to the general population, TOS patients registered a threefold rise in prevalence of diabetes, a 2.57-fold increase in hypertension, a 1.38-fold increase in total hypercholesterolemia, a 1.20-fold increase in hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia, and a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (35% versus 25%). Nevertheless, the prevalence of hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia was significantly lower in those affected by TOS. No differences were found for other CRFs.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared to the general population, cases display a much higher prevalence of all major CRFs. However, an increase in HDL-cholesterol protective factor is in evidence for the first time.
García de Aguinaga
María Luisa
ML
Toxic Oil Syndrome Research Unit, Rare Diseases Research Institute, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
Posada de la Paz
Manuel
M
Estirado de Cabo
Eva
E
Plaza Cano
María del Mar
Mdel M
Alvarez
Carmen Suárez
CS
Saro
Beatriz Braun
BB
Abaitua Borda
Ignacio
I
Sánchez
Rafael Gabriel
RG
Barbado Hernández
Francisco Javier
FJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000506:poisoning*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D012307:Risk Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil