APOB/APOA-I ratio and major cardiovascular risk factors in azores and Lisbon populations – a comparison study

In the Azores Archipelago age adjusted death rates from coronary artery disease (CAD) are two-fold higher than in mainland Portugal. Also, there is not a registered central database on the prevalent risk factors for atherosclerosis (AT), the major cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Those factors can diverge in different populations, due to their genetic and/or particular exposure to environmental factors.The authors are grateful to Jorge Morgado (Health Centre of Nordeste), Jorge Oliveira (Health Centre of Povoação), Emiliana Dias (Health Centre of Sta Cruz das Flores), Joaquim Ferreira da Silva (Health Centre of Sta Cruz da Graciosa), José Aires Raposo (Health Centre of Ribeira Grande), César Gonçalves (Health Centre of Velas São Jorge), and Maria João Carreiro and Teresa Teles Costa (Health Centre of Ponta Delgada,) and to all the technical staff for their support in blood collection and in the determination of serum lipid profile. Also, we would like to thank all participants who voluntary enrolled in this study. Lisbon Project Grant FCT_PIC /IC/83020/2007; RF is supported by a FRC Post-Doc grant (M3.1.7/F/020/2011), AL is supported by FRC PhD grant (M3.1.2/F/017/2011), and ACA was funded by FCT SFRH / BD / 27990 / 2006 and FCT_PTDC/SAU-GMG/101874/2008