Coronary heart disease and stroke in the Sami and non-Sami populations in rural Northern and Mid Norway - the SAMINOR Study

• Published in: Open Heart
• Main Authors: Siri, Susanna Ragnhild, Eliassen, Bent Martin, Broderstad, Ann Ragnhild, Melhus, Marita, Michalsen, Vilde Lehne, Jacobsen, Bjarne K., Burchill, Luke, Braaten, Tonje
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020
• Subjects: VDP::Medical disciplines: 700::Health sciences: 800::Community medicine; Social medicine: 801; VDP::Medisinske Fag: 700::Helsefag: 800::Samfunnsmedisin; sosialmedisin: 801; Norway; sami
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18482; https://doi.org/10.1136/openhrt-2019-001213

Background - Previous studies have suggested that Sami have a similar risk of myocardial infarction and a possible higher risk of stroke compared with non-Sami living in the same geographical area. Design - Participants in the SAMINOR 1 Survey (2003–2004) aged 30 and 36–79 years were followed to the 31 December 2016 for observation of fatal or non-fatal events of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), coronary heart disease (CHD), ischaemic stroke (IS), stroke and a composite endpoint (fatal or non-fatal AMI or stroke). Aim - Compare the risk of AMI, CHD, IS, stroke and the composite endpoint in Sami and non-Sami populations, and identify intermediate factors if ethnic differences in risks are observed. Methods - Cox regression models. Results - The sex-adjusted and age-adjusted risks of AMI (HR for Sami versus non-Sami 0.99, 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.17), CHD (HR 1.03, 95% CI: 0.93 to 1.15) and of the composite endpoint (HR 1.09, 95% CI: 0.95 to 1.24) were similar in Sami and non-Sami populations. Sami ethnicity was, however, associated with increased risk of IS (HR 1.36, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.68) and stroke (HR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.58). Height explained more of the excess risk observed in Sami than conventional risk factors. Conclusions - The risk of IS and stroke were higher in Sami and height was identified as an important intermediate factor as it explained a considerable proportion of the ethnic differences in IS and stroke. The risk of AMI, CHD and the composite endpoint was similar in Sami and non-Sami populations.