Acculturation, coronary artery disease and carotid intima media thickness in South Asian immigrants--unique population with increased risk.

CONTEXT South Asian Immigrants (SAls) are the 2nd fastest growing Asian immigrant population in the United States with high rates of coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). There is a need to identify markers that can help in identifying high risk groups at an early stage so CAD can be prevented. OBJECTIVE To measure the level of acculturation and its association with CAD, sub-clinical CAD, CAD risk factors and T2D in SAls in the United States. DESIGN Using an epidemiologic cross-sectional study design, 159 SAls aged 35-65 years were recruited. Subclinical CAD was assessed using common carotid artery intima media thickness (CCA-IMT) as a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis. Scaled (The Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation scale [SL-ASIA Scale]) and non-scaled (> or =10 years stay in the United States) methods were used to measure the acculturation. RESULTS 67.7% of SAls were identified to have high acculturation based on SL-ASIA scale. On the logistic regression age-adjusted model, > or =10 years stay in the US (P=.006), cholesterol level > or =200 mg/dL (P<.001), BMI> or =-2 (P=.004), and family history of CAD (.007) were found to be significantly associated with CAD. T2D was associated with high acculturation (P<.001) and CCA-IMT (P=.01) beside other CAD risk factors. CONCLUSIONS Acculturation may play a major role in predisposing immigrant populations to CAD, however insufficient research has been done in this field. Further studies are needed to provide large scale information on acculturations and its association with CAD.