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Table 1 Characteristics of the participants with and without cardiovascular disease according to country of birth

From: Cardiovascular disease in relation to diabetes status in immigrants from the Middle East compared to native Swedes: a cross-sectional study

 

No cardiovascular disease

 

Cardiovascular disease

 

Variable

Born in Iraq

Born in Sweden

P

Born in Iraq

Born in Sweden

P

 

N = 1,311

N = 698

N = 54

N = 41

Age, years

45.8 (9.4)

49.2 (11.1)

<0.001

57.1 (8.8)

56.3 (10.8)

0.683

Male sex, n (%)

757 (57.7)

370 (53.0)

0.042

44 (81.5)

19 (46.3)

0.001

Body mass index, kg/m 2

29.3 (4.5)

27.2 (4.7)

0.001

29.5 (3.9)

27.9 (4.6)

0.129

Waist-to-hip ratio for men

1.0 (0.1)

0.9 (0.1)

<0.001

1.0 (0.1)

1.0 (0.1)

0.366

Waist-to-hip ratio for women

0.9 (0.2)

0.8 (0.1)

<0.001

0.9 (0.1)

0.8 (0.1)

0.093

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg a

128.6 (16.6)

135.6 (19.5)

<0.001

134.9 (17.7)

137.3 (24.5)

0.249

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg a

77.8 (10.3)

81.3 (11.3)

<0.001

79.2 (11.3)

80.0 (13.4)

0.182

Fasting glucose, mmol/L b

5.9 (1.4)

5.7 (1.2)

0.054

7.3 (2.7)

5.7 (0.8)

0.839

C-peptide, nmol/L

0.8 (0.3)

0.7 (0.3)

<0.001

0.9 (0.4)

0.8 (0.4)

0.583

Total cholesterol, mmol/L c

4.9 (1.0)

5.2 (1.0)

<0.001

4.4 (1.1)

4.9 (1.2)

0.226

p-low-density lipoprotein, mmol/L c

3.2 (0.8)

3.3 (0.9)

0.019

2.7 (1.0)

3.0 (1.0)

0.715

p-high-density lipoprotein, mmol/L c

1.2 (0.3)

1.4 (0.4)

<0.001

1.1 (0.4)

1.5 (0.5)

0.032

p-triglycerides, mmol/L c

1.6 (1.2)

1.3 (0.8)

<0.001

1.9 (1.2)

1.3 (0.6)

0.033

Education level lower than high school exam, n (%)

366 (28.1)

125 (17.9)

<0.001

10 (18.9)

15 (36.6)

0.135

INTERHEART risk factors [2]

      

Type 2 diabetes, n (%) d

88 (6.7)

23 (3.3)

<0.001

26 (48.1)

2 (4.9)

0.001

History of hypertension, n (%) e

146 (11.2)

98 (14.0)

0.465

25 (46.3)

19 (46.3)

0.623

Elevated p-LDL/p-HDL ratio b , n (%) f

280 (22.7)

102 (15.8)

0.002

9 (18.4)

3 (7.7)

0.385

Abdominal obesity, n (%) g

783 (60.1)

222 (32.1)

<0.001

36 (67.9)

16 (39.0)

0.006

Physical activity <4 hours/week, n (%)

1004 (84.9)

327 (52.1)

<0.001

35 (85.4)

21 (65.6)

0.058

Intake of fruit/vegetables < once daily, n (%)

676 (52.5)

343 (49.2)

0.703

25 (47.2)

23 (56.1)

0.201

Alcohol consumption, n (%)

229 (18.7)

575 (83.5)

<0.001

17 (40.5)

26 (66.7)

0.006

Tobacco smoking, n (%) h

310 (23.9)

172 (24.7)

0.307

17 (32.7)

18 (43.9)

0.087

Depression, n (%) i

194 (16.1)

15 (2.5)

<0.001

5 (11.9)

3 (10.7)

0.981

Stress, n (%) k

492 (37.8)

138 (19.8)

<0.001

20 (38.5)

16 (39.0)

0.839

Economic difficulties > once last year, n (%) l

675 (52.2)

104 (14.9)

<0.001

26 (49.1)

10 (24.4)

0.030

Life events >1, n (%) m

886 (67.6)

605 (86.7)

<0.001

40 (74.1)

36 (87.8)

0.205

  1. Data are presented as means (standard deviation) unless otherwise indicated. Comparisons between means were conducted using linear regression with adjustment for age and sex, while groups were compared using logistic regression with adjustment for age and sex.
  2. aAdjusted for age, sex and antihypertensive medication.
  3. bAdjusted for age, sex and oral hypoglycemic agents and/or insulin.
  4. cAdjusted for age, sex and medication against hypercholesterolemia.
  5. dConfirmed by treatment with oral hyperglycemic agents and/or insulin, or by a fasting glucose level of ≥7.0 mmol/L.
  6. eSelf-reported history of hypertension.
  7. fParticipants with p-LDL/p-HDL ratios >3.67 (i.e. the highest quintile).
  8. gWaist-hip-ratio ≥0.95 in men and ≥0.90 in women.
  9. hPrevious or current tobacco smokers.
  10. iModerate to severe depression, indicated by >10 points on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale [16].
  11. kParticipants who often feel stressed in daily life.
  12. l.Difficulties paying for food, rent and/or bills on several occasions in the last year.
  13. mMore than one life event during the lifetime.