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Smoking and lipid cardiovascular risk factors in Vietnamese refugees in Australia
M Bermingham1, K Brock, D Tran
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia.
Background:
The effects of smoking and sex on lipid risk factors for cardiovascular disease were examined among Vietnamese people newly arrived in Australia.
Methods:
Immigrants recruited through Refugee Screening had anthropometric data recorded and blood collected to measure total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and triglyceride (TG) by Reflotron; apolipoprotein A-1 (apo A-1) and apolipoprotein B-100 (apo B) by immunoturbidimetric analyses (Turbitimer); and lipoprotein (a) (LP (a)) by ELISA. A questionnaire determined behavioral variables known to influence cardiovascular risk and Statview, Minitab, and SPSS were employed for data analysis.
Results:
Lipoprotein profiles of men (n = 242) and women (n = 159) were compared. Crude TC and apo B were similar; HDL, apo A-1, and LP (a) were higher in women, TG was higher in men. After adjustment (age, BMI, WHR, years of smoking, and drinks per week), only apo A-1 and LP (a), were higher in women. "At risk" levels of TC or apo B did not differ by gender; risk of low apo A-1 was higher among men. Smokers had a significant risk (crude and adjusted) of low HDL, low apo A-1, and high LP (a). The sex difference in HDL was removed by a single adjustment for smoking; male smokers had higher LP (a) than male nonsmokers.
Conclusion:
Male and female Vietnamese immigrants had similar adjusted lipid profiles. Smoking had a marked detrimental effect on lipids.