title: Cardiovascular health status and metabolic syndrome in Ecuadorian natives/Mestizos aged 40 years or more with and without stroke and ischemic heart disease--an atahualpa project case-control nested study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge of regional-specific cardiovascular risk factors is mandatory to reduce the growing burden of stroke and ischemic heart disease in Latin American populations. We conducted a population-based case-control study to assess which risk factors are associated with the occurrence of vascular events in natives/mestizos living in rural coastal Ecuador.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the cardiovascular health (CVH) status and the presence of the metabolic syndrome in all Atahualpa residents aged 40 years or more with stroke and ischemic heart disease and in randomly selected healthy persons to evaluate differences in the prevalence of such risk factors between patients and controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 120 persons (24 with stroke or ischemic heart disease and 96 matched controls) were included. A poor CVH status (according to the American Heart Association) was found in 87.5% case-patients and 81.3% controls (P = .464). The metabolic syndrome was present in the same proportion (58.3%) of case-patients and controls. Likewise, both sets of risk factors (poor CVH status and the metabolic syndrome) were equally prevalent among both groups (58.3% versus 49%, P = .501).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case-control study suggests that none of the measured risk factors is associated with the occurrence of vascular events. It is possible that some yet unmeasured risk factors or an unknown genetic predisposition may account for a sizable proportion of stroke and ischemic heart disease occurring in the native/mestizo population of rural coastal Ecuador.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Department of Neurological Sciences, Hospital-Clínica Kennedy, Guayaquil, Ecuador. Electronic address: oscardelbrutto@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Oscar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Del Brutto
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Robertino M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mera
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montalván
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Hospital-Clínica Kennedy, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Del Brutto
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Hospital-Clínica Kennedy, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zambrano
authors.affiliation: Health Center, Minister of Public Health, Atahualpa, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Milton
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador; Research Department, Hospital Luis Vernaza, Guayaquil, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tettamanti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004484:Ecuador / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Atahualpa; Ecuador; Metabolic syndrome; cardiovascular health; case–control study; epidemiology; ischemic heart disease; stroke