Poster Session II: Epidemiology and public health

Abstract

P190 The Italian Health Examination Survey: time trends of CVD risk factors S Giampaoli, C Lo Noce, L Iacoviello, D Vanuzzo, L Palmieri, C Donfrancesco, J Stamler Instituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Campobasso, Italy, Center for Cardiovascular Prevention, Udine, Italy, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, United States of America Topic: Risk factors and risk prediction Purpose: A periodic Health Examination Survey (HES)-Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare (OEC) has been implemented in Italy. The aim of this analysis is to present initial results for 2008-09 and compare them with those collected in 1998, the previous HES. Methods: Randomized population samples stratified by age and sex were examined (participation rate 63%). Risk factor data were collected using MONICA Project standardized methodologies; biochemical levels were assayed in a central laboratory. In 1998, about 10,000 men and women ages 35-74 years were enrolled throughout the country (200 persons from each 1,5 million of resident population). The new screening is enrolling the same sample size, age range 35-79 years. All data are age-standardized using the European standard population. Results: Data here are from 7 regions, for a total of 1,454 men and women in 1998 and 1,864 persons in 2008-09. Data comparison shows a decrease for systolic blood pressure (men: from 139 to 135 mmHg; women: from 130 to 125 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (men: from 87 to 82 mmHg; women: from 82 to 78 mmHg); an increase for serum total cholesterol (men: from 209 to 217 mg/dl; women: from 206 to 218 mg/dl), while HDL-cholesterol remained stable (men: 52 and 51 mg/dl; women: 59 and 60 mg/dl); body mass index also was stable for men and women (average 28 kg/m2 and 27 kg/m2); glycemia increased in both genders (men: from 92 to 97mg/dl; women: from 87 to 89 mg/dl). Prevalence of obesity increased from 21% to 26% in men, and did not change in women (26%); prevalence of diabetes did not change in men (12%) and decreased slightly in women (from 8% to 7%); smoking habit decreased in men (from 33% to 26%) but not in women (22% in both surveys). Conclusions: Although these are only preliminary results, HES trends show troublesome increases in total cholesterol, glycemia, and obesity; improvements in blood pressure. In combination with other information sources, the OEC can contribute greatly to evaluation of the efficacy of community actions (the Italian smoking ban regulation, introduction of risk assessment in clinical practice) and to elaboration of needed next efforts.