Coronary artery disease and risk factors in Black South Africans--a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify and compare coronary risk factors in different South African ethnic groups with angiographically documented significant coronary artery disease (CAD). DESIGN: An observational retrospective analysis. METHODS: Hospital records of 500 consecutive patients with no previous coronary interventions who underwent coronary angiography at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Soweto over a 2-year period were reviewed. Patients with significant CAD were selected for this study. Data analyzed included demographics, presenting diagnoses, coronary risk factors, number of coronary arteries significantly affected and extent of CAD, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and the main treatment modality for CAD. RESULTS: Of the 206 patients with significant CAD, 85 were Africans and 121 were non-Africans. There were significantly more females in the African group (31% vs 12%, P=.0023) and hypertension was more prevalent in the same group (78% vs 55%, P=.0006). Serum total (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were significantly lower in African than in non-African patients [189.5 (96.67-313.2) vs 228.2 (127.6-464) mg/dL; P=.0006 and 100.5 (34.8-282.3) vs 146.9 (42.54-313.2) mg/dL; P=.0001, respectively]. CONCLUSION: Cholesterol levels in this group of African patients with angiographically significant CAD are within the target range recommended by the adult treatment panel III (ATP III) guidelines of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). These data have implications for risk assessment using cholesterol and the role of cholesterol lowering treatment in populations of developing countries.