TY - JOUR
T1 - Risk of venous thromboembolism in first- and second-generation immigrants in Sweden
AU - Zöller, Bengt
AU - Li, Xinjun
AU - Sundquist, Jan
AU - Sundquist, Kristina
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank the Center for Primary Health Care Research's Science Editor Stephen Gilliver for his useful comments on the text. The registers used in the present study are maintained by Statistics Sweden and the National Board of Health and Welfare. This work was supported by grants to Drs. Kristina and Jan Sundquist from the Swedish Research Council ( 2008–3110 and 2008–2638 ), the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research ( 2006–0386 , 2007–1754 and 2007–1962 ), and the Swedish Research Council Formas ( 2006-4255-6596-99 and 2007–1352 ), and to Bengt Zöller from Region Skåne ( REGSKANE-124611 ).
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - Background: There are ethnic differences in the incidence of venous thromboembolism. This is the first nationwide study to examine whether there is an association between country of birth in first-generation immigrants and first hospitalisation for venous thrombosis (VT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and to study whether a similar association exists in second-generation immigrants. Methods: The study is a nationwide follow-up study. The study subjects were first- and second-generation immigrants residing in Sweden between January 1, 1964 and December 31, 2007. The reference population comprised first- and second-generation Swedish-born individuals. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for VT and PE, standardised with regard to age, geographic region of residence, time period, and socioeconomic status, were estimated by sex in first- and second-generation immigrants. Results: First-generation male and/or female immigrants from Greece, Italy, Spain, Finland, Baltic countries, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, Latin America, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq had a lower risk of VT and/or PE than Swedish-born individuals. The lower risk of VT and/or PE in some first-generation immigrant groups was not replicated in the second generation. However, in certain second-generation immigrant groups, the risk of VT/PE was similar to that in the corresponding parental groups. Conclusions: Country of birth affects the risk of VT and PE in several immigrant groups. Our study indicates that ethnicity-related inherited and acquired venous thromboembolism risk factors play a role in the aetiology of venous thromboembolism. Ethnic differences in thromboembolism risk even exist in Caucasian European populations, and may thus be important to consider in genetic studies.
AB - Background: There are ethnic differences in the incidence of venous thromboembolism. This is the first nationwide study to examine whether there is an association between country of birth in first-generation immigrants and first hospitalisation for venous thrombosis (VT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and to study whether a similar association exists in second-generation immigrants. Methods: The study is a nationwide follow-up study. The study subjects were first- and second-generation immigrants residing in Sweden between January 1, 1964 and December 31, 2007. The reference population comprised first- and second-generation Swedish-born individuals. Standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) for VT and PE, standardised with regard to age, geographic region of residence, time period, and socioeconomic status, were estimated by sex in first- and second-generation immigrants. Results: First-generation male and/or female immigrants from Greece, Italy, Spain, Finland, Baltic countries, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia, Latin America, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq had a lower risk of VT and/or PE than Swedish-born individuals. The lower risk of VT and/or PE in some first-generation immigrant groups was not replicated in the second generation. However, in certain second-generation immigrant groups, the risk of VT/PE was similar to that in the corresponding parental groups. Conclusions: Country of birth affects the risk of VT and PE in several immigrant groups. Our study indicates that ethnicity-related inherited and acquired venous thromboembolism risk factors play a role in the aetiology of venous thromboembolism. Ethnic differences in thromboembolism risk even exist in Caucasian European populations, and may thus be important to consider in genetic studies.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Ethnic groups
KW - Pulmonary embolism
KW - Venous thrombosis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=83555164921&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ejim.2011.07.015
DO - 10.1016/j.ejim.2011.07.015
M3 - Article
C2 - 22153530
AN - SCOPUS:83555164921
SN - 0953-6205
VL - 23
SP - 40
EP - 47
JO - European Journal of Internal Medicine
JF - European Journal of Internal Medicine
IS - 1
ER -