title: Ethnic disparity in the clinical characteristics of patients with heart failure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The characteristics of heart failure (HF) patients of different ethnic backgrounds in Israel are unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of Arab vs. Jewish patients with chronic HF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with a diagnosis of HF at a health maintenance organization in Jerusalem, Israel were evaluated. All patients were followed for cardiac-related hospitalizations and death. The study cohort included 6773 HF patients; 4991 (74%) were Jewish and 1735 (26%) were Arab. The overall prevalence of HF in the Jewish vs. Arab population was similar (women, 4.3% vs. 4.7%, respectively, P = 0.06; men, 5.3% vs. 5.2%, P = 0.61). The prevalence of HF was significantly higher in Arab subjects of younger age groups (50-70 years). Arabs developed HF on average 10 years earlier and had a significantly higher rate of diabetes and obesity. Standard of care based on prescribed medications was similar between the ethnic groups. Glucose and cholesterol levels were higher in the Arab cohort. Mortality was similar between the groups at median follow-up (576 days), with the exception of cardiovascular hospitalizations and death that were higher in Arab men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arab subjects develop HF at a much younger age compared with their Jewish counterparts and have a higher prevalence of diabetes and obesity. Standard of care and clinical outcome are comparable. Implementation of prevention programmes to reduce risk factors, particularly diabetes and obesity, may help reduce the disparity between Arabs and Jews.
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.|Clalit Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gotsman
authors.affiliation: Clalit Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Sarit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avishai-Eliner
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.|Clalit Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Refat
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jabara
authors.affiliation: Clalit Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Zehava
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zemora
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Ayelet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shauer
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Chaim
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lotan
authors.affiliation: Heart Institute, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.|Clalit Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keren
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018912:Arabs; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D007585:Jews; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Ethnicity; Heart failure