Statistical genetic analysis of serological measures of common, chronic infections in Alaska Native participants in the GOCADAN study.

This paper describes genetic investigations of seroreactivity to five common infectious pathogens in the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study. Antibody titers and seroprevalence were available for 495 to 782 (depending on the phenotype) family members at two time points, approximately 15 years apart, for Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). Seroprevalence rates indicate that infections with most of these pathogens are common (≥20% for all of them, >80% for H. pylori, CMV, and HSV-1). Seropositive individuals typically remain seropositive over time, with seroreversion rates of <1% to 10% over ∼15 years. Antibody titers were significantly heritable for most pathogens, with the highest estimate being 0.61 for C. pneumoniae. Significant genome-wide linkage evidence was obtained for C. pneumoniae on chromosome 15 (logarithm of odds, LOD score of 3.13). These results demonstrate that individual host genetic differences influence antibody measures of common infections in this population, and further investigation may elucidate the underlying immunological processes and genes involved.

All-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in western Alaska Native people: western Alaska Tribal Collaborative for Health (WATCH).

OBJECTIVES: We determined all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality in western Alaska Native people and examined agreement between death certificate information and adjudicated cause of deaths. METHODS: Data from 4 cohort studies were consolidated. Death certificates and medical records were reviewed and adjudicated according to standard criteria. We compared adjudicated CVD and cancer deaths with death certificates by calculating sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and κ statistics. RESULTS: Men (n = 2116) and women (n = 2453), aged 18 to 95 years, were followed an average of 6.7 years. The major cause of death in men was trauma (25%), followed by CVD (19%) and cancer (13%). The major cause of death in women was CVD (24%), followed by cancer (19%) and trauma (8%). Stroke rates in both genders were higher than those of US Whites. Only 56% of deaths classified as CVD by death certificate were classified as CVD by standard criteria; discordance was higher among men (55%) than women (32%; κs = 0.4 and 0.7). CONCLUSIONS: We found lower rates for coronary heart disease death but high rates of stroke mortality. Death certificates overestimated CVD mortality; concordance between the 2 methods is better for cancer mortality. The results point to the importance of cohort studies in this population in providing data to assist in health care planning.

How the parcellation theory of comparative forebrain specialization emerged from the Division of Neuropsychiatry at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

The Golgi method gave birth to modern neuroscience. The Nauta method, developed in a novel Army think tank at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, was the next major breakthrough before neuroscience emerged as a separate discipline. Dr. Walle Nauta's (1916-1994) method allowed for the first time the ability to trace interneuronal connections accurately to their termination. The think tank, created by Dr. David Rioch (1900-1985), provided a unique intellectual environment for interdisciplinary neuroscience research, the first of its kind. Rioch hired exceptional senior faculty and recruited outstanding young investigators who were drafted into the Army, typically after finishing their M.D.s or Ph.D.s, and were interested in brain research. Many of these young investigators went on to illustrious careers in neuroscience. I worked with Walle Nauta at a time when the technique was first being applied to nonmammalian vertebrate brains. Along with other Army draftees, I was encouraged to pursue my own research interests. This led me on a quest to understand interspecific variability of connections in relation to evolution and ontogeny of the brain. By 1980, I had found that the variability of all known connections could be explained by a theory to the effect that new structures such as the neocortex were not formed by one system invading another and mingling, as Clarence Luther Herrick (1858-1904) had proposed, but by selective proliferation and differentiation sometimes involving the select loss of connections to reduce cross-modality interference as in the case of the parcellation and differentiation of cortical areas. The resulting parcellation theory predicts that elements of a primordial neocortex existed from the beginning of vertebrate evolution and did not originate by an invasion of nonolfactory modalities into the olfactory lobe, as commonly believed before the introduction of the Nauta method. This theory would not have been created if it were not for the brilliant environment that was Walter Reed in the 1960s.

Heart rate is associated with red blood cell fatty acid concentration: the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) is associated with a reduction in deaths from coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and sudden death. Although these FAs were originally thought to be antiatherosclerotic, recent evidence suggests that their benefits are related to reducing risk for ventricular arrhythmia and that this may be mediated by a slowed heart rate (HR). METHODS: The study was conducted in Alaskan Eskimos participating in the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) Study, a population experiencing a dietary shift from unsaturated to saturated fats. We compared HR with red blood cell (RBC) FA content in 316 men and 391 women ages 35 to 74 years. RESULTS: Multivariate linear regression analyses of individual FAs with HR as the dependent variable and specific FAs as covariates revealed negative associations between HR and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3; P = .004) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3; P = .009) and positive associations between HR and palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7; P = .021), eicosanoic acid (20:1n9; P = .007), and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA; 20:3n-6; P = .021). Factor analysis revealed that the omega-3 FAs were negatively associated with HR (P = .003), whereas a cluster of other, non-omega-3 unsaturated FAs (16:1, 20:1, and 20:3) was positively associated. CONCLUSIONS: Marine omega-3 FAs are associated with lower HR, whereas palmitoleic and DGLA, previously identified as associated with saturated FA consumption and directly related to cardiovascular mortality, are associated with higher HR. These relations may at least partially explain the relations between omega-3 FAs, ventricular arrhythmia, and sudden death.

Albuminuria among Alaska Natives--findings from the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and associated risk factors for albuminuria and low-grade albuminuria in Alaska Natives is not known. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives Study. We included 1,026 individuals, who represent 85% of the study participants for whom complete data were available. Risk factors examined were age, sex, education, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, lipids, C-reactive protein, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use, and smoking status. Urine albumin excretion was estimated by the albumin/creatinine ratio measured from a single random morning urine sample. Albuminuria was defined as an albumin/creatinine ratio of > or =30 mg/g. Low-grade albuminuria was defined as an albumin/creatinine ratio of 10 to <30 mg/g. RESULTS: The mean age was 42 years and over half were female. Diabetes prevalence was low at 3% and the prevalence of hypertension was 20%. The prevalence of albuminuria was 6%; the prevalence of low-grade albuminuria was 12%. Individuals with diabetes or hypertension were 3 times more likely to have albuminuria than those without these conditions [odd ratios: diabetes 3.0 (1.2-7.9) and hypertension 3.0 (1.2-7.3)]. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of albuminuria is low. Comprehensive programs and policies are important given the rise in diabetes and hypertension among Alaska Natives.

Cardiovascular disease prevalence and its relation to risk factors in Alaska Eskimos.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Although Eskimos were thought to be protected from cardiovascular disease (CVD), state health data show a large proportion of deaths from CVD, despite traditional lifestyles and high omega-3 fatty acid intake. This article explores CVD prevalence and its relation to risk factors in Alaska Eskimos. METHODS AND RESULTS: A population-based cohort of 499 Alaska Eskimos > age 45 from the Norton Sound region was examined in 2000-2004 for CVD and associated risk factors as part of the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives study. CVD and atherosclerosis were evaluated and adjudicated using standardized methods. Average age was 58 years; diabetes prevalence was low and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were high, but a large proportion smoked and had high pathogen burden. CVD was higher in men (12.6%) than in women (5.3%) (prevalence ratio 2.4, CI 1.3-4.4). Rates of stroke (6.1% in men, 1.8% in women) were similar to those for coronary heart disease (CHD) (6.1% men, 2.5% women). MI prevalence was low in both genders (1.9% and 0.7%). CVD was higher in men and in those >60 years. Hypertension, diabetes, high LDL-C, high apoB, and low HDL-C were all strong correlates (<.002) and albuminuria and CRP were also correlated with CVD (p<.05) after adjustment for age and gender. Carotid atherosclerosis was correlated with CVD (p=.0079) independent of other risk factors. CONCLUSION: These data show high CHD and stroke prevalence in Alaska Eskimos, despite low average LDL-C and high HDL-C. Hypertension and high LDL-C were independent correlates; identifying these risk factors early and treating to target is recommended.

Pleiotropic effects on subclasses of HDL, adiposity, and glucose metabolism in adult Alaskan Eskimos.

The aim of this study was to analyze the heritability and the presence of pleiotropic effects on subfractions of high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) as measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), parameters for adiposity, and glucose metabolism in adult Alaskan Eskimos. The present family study included 1,214 adult Alaskan Eskimos (537 male/677 female). Body weight, height, circumferences, selected skinfolds, and blood pressure were measured in all participants. Blood samples were collected under fasting conditions for the isolation of plasma. Glucose, insulin, subclasses and size of lipoproteins, triglycerides, total, and HDL cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) were measured in plasma. HbA1c was measured in total blood. Univariate and bivariate quantitative genetic analyses were conducted between HDL subclasses and size and the anthropometric and biochemical measures using the variance decomposition approach. Variation in all the analyzed traits exhibits a significant genetic component. Heritabilities ranged between 0.18 +/- 0.11 for LDL(2) (intermediate) and 0.89 +/- 0.07 for small HDL. No common genetic effects were found on the HDL subclasses (small, intermediate, and large). Small HDL particles were genetically correlated with LDL particles and HbA1c. Negative genetic correlations were observed between intermediate and large HDL subfractions, HDL size and measures of adiposity, and LDL and parameters for glucose metabolism (HbA1, insulin). These observations confirm the presence of possible pleiotropic effects on HDL, adiposity, and cardiovascular risk factors and provide novel insight on the relationship between HDL subclasses, adiposity, and glucose regulation.

Dietary patterns are linked to cardiovascular risk factors but not to inflammatory markers in Alaska Eskimos.

Despite the tradition of a diet high in fish oils and abundant physical activity, coronary artery disease is increasing among Alaska Eskimos. Explanations for this observation include lifestyle changes. In this cross-sectional analysis, we evaluated dietary patterns of Alaska Eskimos and investigated the relations between these dietary patterns and known cardiovascular risk factors, including inflammatory markers. We used a principal component analysis with data from FFQ collected in 2000-2004 to determine dietary patterns of Alaska Eskimos. Four dietary patterns were identified: a traditional pattern, plus 3 patterns based on purchased food, one of which reflected healthy food choices. The traditional dietary pattern was associated with lower triglycerides (P < 0.001) and blood pressure (P = 0.04) and slightly higher LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) (P = 0.05). Whereas the healthy purchased diet was associated with a trend toward lower LDL-C (P = 0.09), the beverages and sweets diet was positively associated with LDL-C (P = 0.02). Diet pattern was not associated with inflammatory markers or pathogen burden. Our data show that the traditional diet is related to a better profile of cardiovascular disease risk factors and should be encouraged. Programs are needed to encourage the availability of healthy food choices for those not able to obtain traditional foods.

Prevalence and correlates of subclinical atherosclerosis in Alaska Eskimos: the GOCADAN study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The recent increase in clinical cardiovascular disease in Alaska Eskimos suggests that changes in traditional lifestyle may have adverse public health consequences. This study examines the prevalence of subclinical vascular disease and its relation to risk factors in Alaska Eskimos. METHODS: Participants in the population-based Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) Study underwent evaluation of cardiovascular disease risk factors and carotid ultrasound. Outcome variables were carotid intimal-medial thickness and presence and extent of atherosclerosis. RESULTS: In multivariate analyses, intimal-medial thickness and presence and extent of atherosclerosis were all associated with traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors but not dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Rates of carotid atherosclerosis were higher than those reported in 2 large population-based US studies. CONCLUSIONS: Alaska Eskimos have similar traditional risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis as other ethnic and racial populations but have higher prevalences of atherosclerosis, possibly attributable to higher rates of smoking.

Recruitment and community interactions in the GOCADAN study.

OBJECTIVES: To study heart and vascular disease in Alaskan Eskimos. To identify risk factors for CVD in Norton Sound Eskimos. STUDY DESIGN: Participatory research. In this paper, procedures for selection and enrollment and providing feedback and referrals are described. Our working relationships with the Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) Board, the village councils, individuals, and communities are also described. METHODS: This study was conducted in the Norton Sound region of Alaska. The participants were members of Alaskan Eskimo families. RESULTS: Procedures were formed for selecting and enrolling extended families into the study and for working with the NSHC Board, the village councils, and individual participants. The average participation was 82.6% of the age-eligible villagers in seven villages. A four-level referral system was designed. Test results were provided to participants in the form of letters, with duplicates sent to health care providers and medical records. A senior researcher returned to the village to explain the results to the participants. CONCLUSIONS: Principles of participatory research applied and developed in this study led to successful screening of 1214 Eskimos in nine villages between October 2000 and June 2004. This partnership developed into a relationship with the community, in which researchers and the communities mutually participated in the study, from the initiation of the design to the return of the data to the individuals, communities, and health care providers.

Research with Arctic peoples: unique research opportunities in heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders. Working group summary and recommendations.

Arctic peoples are spread over eight countries and comprise 3.74 million residents, of whom 9% are indigenous. The Arctic countries include Canada, Finland, Greenland (Denmark), Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Although Arctic peoples are very diverse, there are a variety of environmental and health issues that are unique to the Arctic regions, and research exploring these issues offers significant opportunities, as well as challenges. On July 28-29, 2004, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research co-sponsored a working group entitled "Research with Arctic Peoples: Unique Research Opportunities in Heart, Lung, Blood and Sleep Disorders". The meeting was international in scope with investigators from Greenland, Iceland and Russia, as well as Canada and the United States. Multiple health agencies from Canada and the United States sent representatives. Also attending were representatives from the International Union for Circumpolar Health (IUCH) and the National Indian Health Board. The working group developed a set of ten recommendations related to research opportunities in heart, lung, blood and sleep disorders; obstacles and solutions to research implementation; and ways to facilitate international comparisons. These recommendations are expected to serve as an agenda for future research.

Eskimos have CHD despite high consumption of omega-3 fatty acids: the Alaska Siberia project.

OBJECTIVES: The thirty-year-old hypothesis that omega-3 fatty acid (FA) may "reduce the development of thrombosis and atherosclerosis in the Western World" still needs to be tested. Dyerberg-Bang based their supposition on casual observations that coronary atherosclerosis in Greenlandic Inuit was 'almost unknown' and that they consumed large amounts of omega-3 FAs. However, no association was demonstrated with data. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: 454 Alaskan Eskimos were screened for coronary heart disease (CHD), using a protocol that included ECG, medical history, Rose questionnaire, blood chemistries, including plasma FA concentrations, and a 24-hour recall and a food frequency questionnaire assessment of omega-3 FA consumption. RESULTS: CHD was found in 6% of the cohort under 55 years of age and in 26% of those > or = 55 years of age. Eskimos with CHD consume as much omega-3 FAs as those without CHD, and the plasma concentrations confirm that dietary assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Average daily consumption of omega-3 FAs among Eskimos was high, with about 3-4 g/d reported, compared with 1-2 g/d used in intervention studies and the average consumption of 0.2 g/d by the American population. There was no association between current omega-3 FA consumption/blood concentrations and the presence of CHD.

A successful diabetes prevention study in Eskimos: the Alaska Siberia project.

OBJECTIVES: To test the efficacy of a simple intervention method to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes (DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Alaskan Eskimos. STUDY DESIGN: The study consisted of 1) a comprehensive screening for risk factors of 454 individuals in 4 villages, 2) a 4-year intervention and 3) a repetition of the screening in year 5 to test the efficacy of the intervention. METHODS: Personal counseling (1hr/year) stressed the consumption of more traditional foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and less of certain specific store-bought foods high in palmitic acid, which was identified as being associated with glucose intolerance. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in significant reductions in plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (p = 0.0001), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.0001), fasting glucose (p = 0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.0007) and improved glucose tolerance (p = 0.0006). This occurred without loss of body weight. Sixty percent of the participants had improved glucose tolerance; only one of the 44 originally identified with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) developed DM during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Dramatic improvements of risk factors for DM and CVD were achieved in the intervention by primarily stressing the need for changes in the consumption of specific fats. The results suggest that fat consumption is an important risk factor for DM.

Springtime macronutrient intake of Alaska natives of the Bering Straits Region: the Alaska Siberia Project.

OBJECTIVES: The diet of Alaska Natives is a complicated mix of native and imported foods. Dietary intake, which may have changed considerably in the past several decades, has important implications for risk of chronic disease. The objective of this study was to add to the knowledge of dietary intake of Alaska Natives of the Bering Straits Region by describing the macronutrient intake of adults. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study of dietary intake. METHODS: A 24-hour dietary recall was administered among all consenting, non-pregnant residents of four villages, aged 25 years, or more. RESULTS: Data are presented for 209 men and 225 women, who represent 48% of eligible participants. Dietary intake was higher in proportion of energy from protein and lower in proportion of carbohydrate than non-Hispanic white Americans overall. Higher energy and protein intakes were reported for men. Comparisons were also made among Alaskan ethnic groups and previous Alaskan surveys. CONCLUSION: This study of diet among Alaska Natives demonstrates consistency with other recent work. Differences in diet from earlier 20th century observations, such as higher carbohydrate and lower protein intake, are consistent with documented acculturation in Alaska and other circumpolar regions.

Omega-3 fatty acids improve glucose tolerance and components of the metabolic syndrome in Alaskan Eskimos: the Alaska Siberia project.

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that the unusually low prevalences of insulin resistance (IR), metabolic syndrome (MS) and diabetes (DM) in Alaskan Eskimos, compared to American Indians, is related to the traditional Eskimo diet, high in C20-C22 omega-3 fatty acids (FAs). To determine if the relatively low blood pressures, low serum triglycerides and high HDL cholesterol levels in Eskimos result from high omega-3 FA consumption. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: We measured plasma FA concentrations in 447 Norton Sound Eskimos (35-74 years of age) and screened for DM, CHD and associated risk factors. A dietary assessment (24-hr recall) was obtained for comparison the day before the blood sampling. RESULTS: Plasma omega-3 FA concentrations were highly correlated with dietary omega-3 FAs and HDL levels and inversely correlated with plasma levels of insulin, 2-h insulin (OGTT), HOMI-IR, 2-h glucose (OGTT), triglyceride levels and diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: High consumption of omega-3 FAs positively affects components of the MS, insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. This finding suggests that high consumption of C20-C22 omega-3 FAs protects against the development of the MS and glucose intolerance.

Cardiovascular disease and risk factors in three Alaskan Eskimo populations: the Alaska-Siberia project.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of CVD and to identify and characterize associated risk factors in three distinct Eskimo populations. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: A slightly modified Strong Heart Study protocol was followed to examine 454 participants, aged 25-91, from four villages. RESULTS: Overall, 6% of the participants under 55 years of age and 26% of those > or = 55 years of age showed evidence of CHD by ECG, or in patient records. The prevalence of "definite coronary heart disease" (CHD) in women with glucose intolerance (GI) was 21.0%, compared to 2.4% in those with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). Men had comparable values of 26.7% and 6.3%. In addition, comparable values for "possible CHD" were 29.7% vs 6.0% for women and 21.4% vs 8.0% for men. GI was associated with relatively higher prevalences of CHD in women than in men (prevalence ratio = 8.5 vs 4.3). CHD was significantly related to age, glucose intolerance and insulin. Hypertension and obesity were significantly associated with CHD only in some ethnic groups. The prevalence of current smokers was 56%. CONCLUSIONS: Recent changes in lifestyle and diet of Alaskan Eskimos, leading to obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance and DM, contribute to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

A genetic and epidemiologic study of cardiovascular disease in Alaska natives (GOCADAN): design and methods.

This article is a report of the design and methods of the Genetics of Coronary Artery Disease in Alaska Natives (GOCADAN) Study. This longitudinal, population-based study was initiated to investigate the genetic determinants of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. Between October 2000 and April 2004, this family study enrolled 1,214 Eskimos from several coastal villages in the Norton Sound region of Western Alaska. Examinations included a physical, laboratory determinations, and measures of subclinical disease. This study will generate a genome-wide scan for loci influencing cardiovascular disease-related traits. Relations between subclinical atherosclerosis and markers of inflammation will be examined using historic and newly drawn samples. The study will provide data on CVD prevalence, risk factors and the relative contribution of genetic and environmental determinants in Alaska Native peoples. Data from this study will contribute to the delivery of health-care and prevention of CVD in Alaska Eskimos and other populations.

Apolipoprotein E isoforms 3/3 and 3/4 differentially interact with circulating stearic, palmitic, and oleic fatty acids and lipid levels in Alaskan Natives.

Lifestyle changes in Alaskan Natives have been related to the increase of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome in the last decades. Variation of the apolipoprotein E (Apo E) genotype may contribute to the diverse response to diet in lipid metabolism and influence the association between fatty acids in plasma and risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this investigation was to analyze the interaction between Apo E isoforms and plasma fatty acids, influencing phenotypes related to metabolic diseases in Alaskan Natives. A sample of 427 adult Siberian Yupik Alaskan Natives was included. Fasting glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, Apo A1, and Apo B plasma concentrations were measured using reference methods. Concentrations of 13 fatty acids in fasting plasma were analyzed by gas chromatography, and Apo E variants were identified. Analyses of covariance were conducted to identify Apo E isoform and fatty acid main effects and multiplicative interactions. The means for body mass index and age were 26 ± 5.2 and 47 ± 1.5, respectively. Significant main effects were observed for variation in Apo E and different fatty acids influencing Apo B levels, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. Significant interactions were found between Apo E isoform and selected fatty acids influencing total cholesterol, triglycerides, and Apo B concentrations. In summary, Apo E3/3 and 3/4 isoforms had significant interactions with circulating levels of stearic, palmitic, oleic fatty acids, and phenotypes of lipid metabolism in Alaskan Natives.

Fatty acids linked to cardiovascular mortality are associated with risk factors.

BACKGROUND: Although saturated fatty acids (FAs) have been linked to cardiovascular mortality, it is not clear whether this outcome is attributable solely to their effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or whether other risk factors are also associated with FAs. The Western Alaskan Native population, with its rapidly changing lifestyles, shift in diet from unsaturated to saturated fatty acids and dramatic increase in cardiovascular disease (CVD), presents an opportunity to elucidate any associations between specific FAs and known CVD risk factors. OBJECTIVE: We tested the hypothesis that the specific FAs previously identified as related to CVD mortality are also associated with individual CVD risk factors. METHODS: In this community-based, cross-sectional study, relative proportions of FAs in plasma and red blood cell membranes were compared with CVD risk factors in a sample of 758 men and women aged ≥35 years. Linear regression analyses were used to analyze relations between specific FAs and CVD risk factors (LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, body mass index, fasting glucose and fasting insulin, 2-hour glucose and 2-hour insulin). RESULTS: The specific saturated FAs previously identified as related to CVD mortality, the palmitic and myristic acids, were adversely associated with most CVD risk factors, whereas unsaturated linoleic acid (18:2n-6) and the marine n-3 FAs were not associated or were beneficially associated with CVD risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that CVD risk factors are more extensively affected by individual FAs than hitherto recognized, and that risk for CVD, MI and stroke can be reduced by reducing the intake of palmitate, myristic acid and simple carbohydrates and improved by greater intake of linoleic acid and marine n-3 FAs.

Prevalence of Hypertension and Associated Risk Factors in Western Alaska Native People: The Western Alaska Tribal Collaborative for Health (WATCH) Study.

Hypertension is a common chronic disease and a key risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease. The Western Alaska Tribal Collaborative for Health study consolidates baseline data from four major cohorts residing in the Norton Sound and Yukon-Kuskokwim regions of western Alaska. This consolidated cohort affords an opportunity for a systematic analysis of high blood pressure and its correlates in a unique population with high stroke rates over a wide age range. While the prevalence of hypertension among western Alaska Native people (30%, age-standardized) is slightly less than that of the US general population (33%), cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of mortality in this rural population. The authors found that improvement is needed in hypertension awareness as about two thirds (64%) of patients reported awareness and only 39% with hypertension were controlled on medication. Future analyses assessing risk and protective factors for incident hypertension in this population are indicated.