Cardiovascular Disease and hospital admissions in African immigrants and former Soviet Union immigrants: A retrospective cohort study

• Published in: International journal of cardiology Vol. 296; pp. 172 - 176
• Main Authors: Reuven, Yonatan, Shvartzman, Pesach, Dreiher, Jacob
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-12-2019
• Subjects: Cardiovascular disease; Ethiopian immigrants; Ethnicity; Former Soviet Union immigrants; Hospital admission; Cardiovascular disease; Former Soviet Union immigrants; Ethnicity; Ethiopian immigrants; Hospital admission
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2019.08.022

Previous studies reported low prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) despite an increasing prevalence of metabolic abnormalities in immigrants who moved from low CVD-risk regions to Western countries. Nevertheless, little is known about hospital admissions due to CVD in immigrants.
A retrospective cohort study of East Africa immigrants (EAI), Former Soviet Union immigrants (FSUI) and native-born Israelis (NBI) over 11-year period. Associations between ethnicity, age, sex, CVD, and hospital admission were assessed using logistic and Poisson regression models. Incidence density rates per person-years were calculated.
The age-adjusted prevalence rates of ischemic heart disease in EAI, FSUI and NBI, respectively, were 1.8%, 8.2%, and 5.8%, respectively (p < 0.001). The corresponding rates for stroke were 2.6%, 3.5%, and 2.5%, respectively. Multivariate odds ratios for all CVD were found to be significantly lower in EAI for both sexes. Hospitalizations rate due to CVD were 9, 17, and 6 per 1000 person-years in EAI, FSUI and NBI, respectively (p < 0.001). EAI were more likely to be hospitalized due to hypertensive disease, cerebral vascular diseases and heart disease, in comparison to NBI and FSUI. However, when controlling for CVD risk factors profile, EAI had similar admission rates to NBI. EAI were more likely to be hospitalized in internal medicine, geriatrics, and neurology departments, and less likely to be admitted to intensive care units or surgical department.
EAI had low rates of all types of CVD, and low risk of hospitalization after controlling for CVD risk factors profile.
•Low prevalence rates of IHD, TIA, and PVD in East Africa immigrants•Multivariate ORs for all CVD were lower in East Africa immigrants.•East Africa immigrants hospitalized due to hypertensive & cerebrovascular diseases.•FSUI had the highest rates of hospitalizations due to cardiovascular disorders.