title: East-west differences and migration in Finland: Association with cardiometabolic risk markers and IMT. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Coronary heart disease mortality has been internationally high in eastern Finland. The excessive mortality risk in Eastern compared with western Finns is explained by differences in cardiometabolic risk profile. Current risk profile differences and association with migration have not been reported. We examined the association of place of residence (east-west) and specifically migration with cardiometabolic risk markers and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included 2204 participants with data available from childhood/youth in 1980 and follow-up examination in 2007.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants residing in eastern Finland in adulthood had 0.022±0.004mm higher IMT than Western participants. Those who migrated east-to-west had lower IMT than those staying in the east (0.027±0.006mm, p<0.0001) while no difference to those continuously living in the west was found. Those who moved east-to-west had a lower body mass index (25.3±4.3 kg/m(2) vs. 26.2±4.5kg/m(2), p=0.01), waist circumference (85.7±12.8cm vs. 88.6±12.8cm, p=0.001), prevalence of metabolic syndrome (13% vs. 21%, p=0.01), and higher socioeconomic status (16.6±3.3 vs. 15.0±3.3 school years, p<0.0001) than those who stayed in the east. CONCLUSIONS HIGHER IMT WAS FOUND IN EASTERN FINNS THAN IN WESTERN FINNS PARTICIPANTS WHO MIGRATED EAST-TO-WEST HAD A LOWER IMT AND A BETTER CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK PROFILE THAN THOSE WHO STAYED IN THE EAST.
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland lauri.vahamurto@utu.fi.
authors.forename: Lauri
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vähämurto
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland Paavo Nurmi Centre, Sports and Exercise Medicine Unit, Department of Physical Activity and Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pahkala
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: Costan G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Magnussen
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mikkilä
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hutri-Kähönen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kähönen
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Tomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.affiliation: Vaasa Central Hospital, Vaasa, Finland.
authors.forename: Leena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taittonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tossavainen
authors.affiliation: Fimlab Laboratories and Department of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Terho
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lehtimäki
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jokinen
authors.affiliation: LIKES-Research Center for Sport and Health Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Telama
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Turku and Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rönnemaa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Turku and Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Jorma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland Department of Medicine, University of Turku and Division of Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juonala
authors.affiliation: Research Center of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Raitakari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Atherosclerosis; endothelium; human migration; risk factors; vascular