Age-dependent interaction of apolipoprotein E gene with eastern birthplace in Finland affects severity of coronary atherosclerosis and risk of fatal myocardial infarction--Helsinki Sudden Death Study.

Background: Mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) has been constantly higher in eastern late settlement regions compared to western early settlements in Finland, unrelated to classical risk factors. In line with this, eastern birthplace was an age-dependent predictor of severe coronary atherosclerosis and pre-hospital sudden coronary death among male residents of Helsinki. We investigated a possible interaction of apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene with birthplace on the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary atherosclerosis.

Birthplace in area with high coronary heart disease mortality predicts the severity of coronary atherosclerosis among middle-aged Finnish men who had migrated to capital area: the Helsinki sudden death study.

Background: Reasons why eastern-born male Finns have higher coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality than do western-born men are still unsettled. Recently, eastern birthplace was found to be an independent predictor of pre-hospital sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the new low-mortality area of residence.

Aim: To investigate the association of birthplace with high CHD mortality attributes to more severe coronary atherosclerosis among men migrated to the low-mortality capital area.

Birthplace predicts risk for prehospital sudden cardiac death in middle-aged men who migrated to metropolitan area: The Helsinki Sudden Death Study.

Background: Eastern-born male Finns, irrespective of their place of residence, have high mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD), and half of such deaths are sudden.

Aim: To study whether eastern birthplace alone or combined with life-style factors predicts risk for prehospital sudden cardiac death (SCD) in the new (west) low-mortality area of residence.

Method: Prospective case-control autopsy study of all (700) out-of-hospital deaths of men aged 35-69 years in metropolitan Helsinki during 1981-82 and 1991-92.