An assessment of the main metabolic variables of cardiovascular risk in a sample population of workers in Rome

Background. The last few years have seen an increased necessity to assess the cardiovascular risk factors on large samples of the population in Italy. A look at the citizens of a small rural town Brisighella is well known. Methods. Three hundred and five individuals of average age 40.8 years (+/-8.22), recruited between September 1988 and December 1989 (198 men, 107 women) were taken into consideration. Clinical and instrumental investigations were then performed (intern visits with data obtained from primary anthropometric, otorhinolaryngological and ocular variables, heart X-ray, electrocardiogram). The following analyses were also performed: haemochrome, ESR, uricemia, azotemia, glycemia, AST, ALT, bilirubinemia, protein electrophoresis, triglyceridemia, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, creatinine level and urine analysis. Women also received PAP-test. Another variable was lifestyle habits which may be considered a risk for cardiovascular disease. Hygienic and diet suggestions were made. After seven years, in 1997, 100 of these individuals (51 men, 49 women mean age 42.7 +/- 6.5 years) were chosen at random and administered the same clinical and laboratory examinations as before. Results. The analysis of the data show average BMI values 24.07 +/- 2.7 in men and 22.8 +/- 2.6 in women, inferior to those found in other Italian investigations. We observed an increase of BMI along with age, despite measures of preventive medicine, in married subjects and along with education and occupation level. Mean values of cholesterol level in men increased between the ages 30 and 39 and stabilised after 40 years; in women they increased only after the 5(th) decade of life. Conclusions. We observed a direct correlation between the increase of uricemia and triglyceride levels, triglyceride and cholesterol levels, BMI and triglyceride levels conferming the tight bond among these metabolisms and the importance of obesity as a risk factor. Uricemia levels correlate with systolic and diastolic blood pressure.