Cardiovascular risk factors associated with diabetes in an Indian community of Guadeloupe. A case control study

Indians of Guadeloupe have an especially high prevalence type 2 diabetes mellitus and a particular susceptibility to coronary heart disease. This case-control study conducted from September 15 to 24, 1997, analysed cardiovascular risk factors associated with diabetes and particularly dyslipidaemia in the Indian community of Guadeloupe. The 172 subjects included 86 diabetic patients of Indian origin and 86 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls. All subjects underwent a physical examination by the same observer. Obesity and hypertension were assessed, and fasting lipid concentrations were measured. The body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were higher among patients than controls: 27.8 vs 25.1 Kg/m2 (p < 0.001) and 0.94 vs 0.90 (p < 0.001). Mean arterial systolic and diastolic pressures were higher for patients than controls (p < 0.001). Median HDL-cholesterol was 1.23 mmol/L for patients vs 1.4 mmol/L for controls (p < 0.001), and median triglycerides were 2.0 vs 1.3 mmol/L (p < 0.001). Mean apolipoprotein B was 1.40 +/- 0.36 g/L for patients vs 1.23 +/- 0.35 g/L for controls (p < 0.001). Our results show slight hypertension, central obesity, a lower plasma HDL-cholesterol concentration, a higher triglyceride concentration, and a higher apolipoprotein B concentration for diabetics. These data would appear to have important implications for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in this population.