title: Impact of country of birth on arterial function in subjects living in France.
abstract: Affect of country of birth on arterial function in subjects (14,818 men and 9121 women) living in Paris but born in France or elsewhere in Europe (67%), Africa (25%), Asia (5%), and French Overseas Departments and Territories (3%) was investigated. Pulsatile hemodynamics involved central augmentation index (CAI) and central (carotid) pulse pressure (CPP). In African-born subjects compared with those born in France, age, blood pressure, overweight, and diabetes were factors associated with hypertension, but cardiovascular and renal impairment were absent. Asian-born subjects differed from others with lower body weight and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, but higher plasma triglycerides and heart rate. Men's and women's pulsatile changes revealed significant interactions with CAI, and to a lesser extent with CPP, between gender and country of birth, particularly for African- and European-born subjects. For all the latter countries, increased cardiovascular risk of mortality, evaluated with Framingham scores, was highly significant but mainly for men. These data show that country-of-birth impact necessitated subdividing populations into men and women; at-risk populations were born in Africa, Asia, and Europe but less frequently in France; factors involving country-of-birth impact require further research on hereditary and environmental (frequently socioeconomic) factors but also geography and climate.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Investigations Préventives et Cliniques, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pannier
authors.forename: Michel E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Safar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D001208:Asia / Q000208:ethnology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol