Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in relation to metabolic syndrome in the Roma population compared with the non-Roma population in the eastern part of Slovakia.

Background: Obesity-induced metabolic syndrome is a multiple risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) risk factors and type 2 diabetes, and ethnic minorities seem to have unfavourable medical risk factors in general more frequently than majority populations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in relation to metabolic syndrome in the Roma population compared with the non-Roma population residing in the eastern part of Slovakia.

Results: 123 Roma and 79 non-Roma patients with metabolic syndrome were evaluated. Men between 40-55 years of age had 4.76-times higher odds and women 5.26-times higher odds for metabolic sydrome compared with the younger population. We found statistically significant higher waist circumference in the Roma subpopulation and higher body mass index as well, although in selected population with metabolic syndrome. HDL cholesterol was significantly lower in both Roma men and women, and LDL cholesterol was not significant in men and women with metabolic syndrome. Triglycerides levels were significantly higher in non-Roma women only. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) values were not in correlation with age but were associated with the increasing number of fulfilled criteria for metabolic syndrome in both subgroups (Roma, non-Roma), independently of gender.

Conclusion: Our study confirmed higher prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome and other CV risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome among younger Roma population, which may be associated with increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality among elderly Roma compared with non-Roma.