title: Apolipoprotein E polymorphism in elderly Japanese-Brazilian immigrants does not explain the reduced cardiovascular risk factor incidence.
abstract: Study of immigrant populations may contribute to a  better understanding of the epidemiology of diseases associated with the aging process.  We examined the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including  apolipoprotein E (ApoE) polymorphism, in elderly subjects who were born in  Japan, migrated to South Brazil and have lived in that region for over 40  years, versus a group of elderly, locally born Brazilians living in the same  region. These Japanese subjects came to Brazil after World War II (1950-1960)  from several Japanese cities, mainly Nagasaki, Kumamoto and Hokkaido. Among  1007 subjects genotyped for ApoE polymorphism, we selected 540 elderly subjects  (>60 years old), consisting of 270 Japanese-Brazilians and 270 Brazilians of  European ancestry from Rio Grande do Sul State (Gaucha population). The  Japanese-Brazilian group had significantly lower prevalences of obesity, type 2  diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome than did the Gaucho  population group. ApoE polymorphism frequencies were similar in the two groups.  The differences in cardiovascular risk factors observed in the two populations  cannot be explained by ApoE polymorphism; they could be related to conservation  of Japanese lifestyle habits, such as diet.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Geriatria e Gerontologia, PontifÃ-cia Universidade CatÃ³lica do Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Terra
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Trois
authors.forename: J E C
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piccoli
authors.forename: I B M
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Cruz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet / Q000208:ethnology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001057:Apolipoproteins E