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CVD risk factors and surrogate markers - Urban-rural differences

Citation

Nuotio, J and Vahamurto, L and Pahkala, K and Magnussen, CG and Hutri-Kahonen, N and Kahonen, M and Laitinen, T and Taittonen, L and Tossavainen, P and Lehtimaki, T and Jokinen, E and Viikari, JSA and Raitakari, O and Juonala, M, CVD risk factors and surrogate markers - Urban-rural differences, Scandinavian Journal of Public Health pp. 1-10. ISSN 1403-4948 (2019) [Refereed Article]

Copyright Statement

Copyright 2019 The Authors

DOI: doi:10.1177/1403494819869816

Abstract

Aims: Disparity in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and risk factor levels between urban and rural regions has been confirmed worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine how living in different community types (urban-rural) in childhood and adulthood are related to cardiovascular risk factors and surrogate markers of CVD such as carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and left ventricular mass (LVM).

Methods: The study population comprised 2903 participants (54.1% female, mean age 10.5 years in 1980) of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study who had been clinically examined in 1980 (age 3-18 years) and had participated in at least one adult follow-up (2001-2011).

Results: In adulthood, urban residents had lower systolic blood pressure (-1 mmHg), LDL-cholesterol (-0.05 mmol/l), lower body mass index (-1.0 kg/m2) and glycosylated haemoglobin levels (-0.05 mmol/mol), and lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome (19.9 v. 23.7%) than their rural counterparts. In addition, participants continuously living in urban areas had significantly lower IMT (-0.01 mm), LVM (1.59 g/m2.7) and pulse wave velocity (-0.22 m/s) and higher carotid artery compliance (0.07%/10 mmHg) compared to persistently rural residents. The differences in surrogate markers of CVD were only partially attenuated when adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors.

Conclusions: Participants living in urban communities had a more favourable cardiovascular risk factor profile than rural residents. Furthermore, participants continuously living in urban areas had less subclinical markers related to CVD compared with participants living in rural areas. Urban-rural differences in cardiovascular health might provide important opportunities for optimizing prevention by targeting areas of highest need.

Item Details

Item Type:Refereed Article
Keywords:atherosclerosis, risk factors, urban, rural, arterial stiffness, left ventricular mass
Research Division:Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:Cardiovascular medicine and haematology
Research Field:Cardiology (incl. cardiovascular diseases)
Objective Division:Health
Objective Group:Clinical health
Objective Field:Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:Magnussen, CG (Associate Professor Costan Magnussen)
ID Code:138069
Year Published:2019
Web of Science® Times Cited:8
Deposited By:Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:2020-03-23
Last Modified:2022-08-25
Downloads:0

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