HYPERGLYCEMIA AND CORONARY RISK-FACTORS RESULTS FROM WESTERN AUSTRIA

We investigated mean levels and prevalences of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, systolic blood pressure and body mass index in adults aged 25 to 64 years participating in the WHO Country-wide Integrated Noncommunicable Diseases Intervention (CINDI) Programme in Vorarlberg, western Austria. According to the Austrian expert panel and based upon the above age standardized risk factors 50.9% of the male and 29.3% of the female population were at high risk for developing coronary heart disease. Risk factor levels were further compared between euglycemic and hyperglycemic participants. After adjusting for age hyperglycemia was associated with higher body mass index in men (p = 0.026) and women (p < 0.001), higher systolic blood pressure in men (p < 0.001) and women (p = 0.003), and higher levels of triglycerides in women (p = 0.008). No significant differences were observed in total and HDL cholesterol in either sex. When controlling for age and body mass index, fasting blood glucose levels had significant associations only with systolic blood pressure in men (p = 0.001). But, with respect to all risk factors, hyperglycemic participants had an age-adjusted adverse coronary risk profile both in men (p = 0.002) and in women (p < 0.001).