The Tromsø Heart Study

There are indications that subjects of Lappish ethnic origin have a lower incidence of coronary heart disease than subjects of Norse or Finnish descent, despite their having a similar coronary risk factor status as assessed by serum lipid concentrations, BP and cigarette consumption. The possibility that this reflects a more favourable serum lipoprotein pattern in Lapps has been examined in 116 non‐fasting male subjects of Norse, Finnish and Lappish descent matched for age (mean age 39 years) and level of habitual physical activity. No significant differences between the three ethnic groups were observed, however, in either the serum total cholesterol concentration or the distribution of serum cholesterol between the high density (HDL, density (d) 1.063–1.21 g/ml) and lower density (<1.063 g/ml) lipoprotein classes. In view of recent evidence of an association of several coronary risk factors with a low HDL level in other populations, the relationship of HDL cholesterol concentration to other variables was explored by stepwise multiple regression analysis. As in other communities, HDL cholesterol was inversely related to the d <1.063 cholesterol concentration. HDL cholesterol showed no significant correlation, however, with either relative body weight, cigarette consumption or BP. Any relationship of these variables to coronary risk in the Tromsø population must operate, therefore, through mechanisms unrelated to HDL.