Genetic Contribution to Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Korea: The Results from the 1998 Korean Nationwide Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Jee, Sun Ha

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to estimate the heritability for cardiovascular disease(CVD) risk factors such as obesity, serum lipids, blood pressure and putative other risk factors. METHODS: Familial correlations and heritability in CVD risk factors were investigated with use of data from a community-based sample of 435 families involving 2,507 persons collected in the 1998 Korean Nationwide Nutrition and Health Examination Survey over the period November to December in 1998. The risk factors considered were obesity indexes such as waist circumference(WC), hip circumference(HC), waist-to-hip ratio(WHR), body mass index(BMI), serum lipids(total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL- cholesterol and triglyceride), systolic and diastolic blood pressure(SBP and DBP) and other putative risk factors(fasting blood sugar, creatinine, platelet, blood urea nitrate). RESULTS: First, the estimated heritabilites for obesity variables were 49.5% for WC, 46.6% for BMI, 43.2% for WHR and 39.2% for HC. Second, the estimated heritabilites for well-established CVD risk factors were 53% for LDL-cholesterol, 52% for total cholesterol, 52% for HDL-cholesterol, 24% for triglyceride, 39% for SBP and 30% for DBP. Third, the estimated heritabilites for the putative CVD risk factors were 39% for platelet, 39% for fasting blood sugar, 34% for blood urea nitrate, and 32% for creatinine level. CONCLUSION: Future linkage studies in these families may be worthwhile to further clarify the molecular basis for biological mechanisms controlling these CVD risk factors showing high heritability.