BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
Volume 14, Issue 1, 2014

Assessment of vitamin D and its association with cardiovascular disease risk factors in an adult migrant population: An audit of patient records at a Community Health Centre in Kensington, Melbourne, Australia (Article) (Open Access)

Ruwanpathirana T. , Reid C.M.* , Owen A.J. , Fong D.P.S. , Gowda U. , Renzaho A.M.N.
  • a Centre for Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • b Centre for Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • c Centre for Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • d Doutta Galla Community Health Service, Kensington, VIC, Australia
  • e Global Health and Society Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
  • f Global Health and Society Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Australia, Centre for International Health, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, School of Social Sciences and Psychology, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a global public health problem associated with increased risk of cardio-metabolic diseases and osteoarthritis. Migrants with dark skin settled in temperate climates are at greater risk of both vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to identify the risk of vitamin D deficiency and associations with cardiovascular disease in a migrant population in Australia. Methods: An audit was carried out at a Community Health Service in Kensington, Melbourne which, services a large migrant population. Data from the clinical records of all adults who visited the medical centre at least once during the period from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2012 was extracted. The future (10 year) coronary heart disease risk was estimated using Framingham Risk Score. Results: The centre has given higher priority to vitamin D testing in migrants, those middle-aged, females and those with diabetes and osteoarthritis. Migrants from countries located in lower latitude regions (Latitude N230 to S230) were 1.48 (95% C.I. 1.32-1.65) times more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency post migration and 0.44 (95% C.I. 0.31-0.62) times less likely to have a >15% 10-year risk of coronary heart disease when compared to their Australian-born counterparts. Conclusions: Adherence to a high risk strategy for vitamin D testing was observed in the centre. Pre-migration latitude is an important factor for vitamin D deficiency (lower the latitude higher the risk) and in predicting future risk of cardiovascular disease in migrants. These findings suggest that a targeted approach for vitamin D testing, including zone of origin might better identify individuals at higher risk of both vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease. © 2014 Ruwanpathirana et al.

Author Keywords

Cardiovascular diseases Vitamin D deficiency Migrants Framingham 10 year risk score

Index Keywords

cardiovascular risk Australia demography Cardiovascular Diseases human epidemiology risk assessment middle aged diabetes mellitus Vitamin D controlled study priority journal Aged Medical Audit Time Factors Victoria clinical audit nutritional assessment ethnology prognosis Residence Characteristics Cross-Sectional Studies Community Health Centers Young Adult cross-sectional study migrant Humans cardiovascular disease male Emigrants and Immigrants female Aged, 80 and over very elderly risk factor Risk Factors vitamin D deficiency Article Retrospective Studies blood major clinical study adult latitude biological marker health center retrospective study risk reduction weather Biological Markers Framingham risk score time osteoarthritis
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84920817409&doi=10.1186%2f1471-2261-14-157&partnerID=40&md5=26c1eef460cafb0d1ffb2118d4e5dbc8
DOI: 10.1186/1471-2261-14-157
ISSN: 14712261
Cited by: 8
Original Language: English