V P Alekseev’s research while affiliated with Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Bashkortostan and other places

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of economic and cultural change on immune function and psychosocial stress in an indigenous Siberian population. We examined Epstein-Barr virus antibodies (EBV), an indirect biomarker of cell-mediated immune function, in venous whole blood samples collected from 143 Yakut (Sakha) herders (45 men and 98 women) in six communities using a cross-sectional study design. We modeled economic change through the analysis of lifestyle incongruity (LI), calculated as the disparity between socioeconomic status and material lifestyle, computed with two orthogonal scales: market and subsistence lifestyle. EBV antibody level was significantly negatively associated with both a market and a subsistence lifestyle, indicating higher cell-mediated immune function associated with higher material lifestyle scores. In contrast, LI was significantly positively associated with EBV antibodies indicating lower immune function, and suggesting higher psychosocial stress, among individuals with economic status in excess of material lifestyle. Individuals with lower incongruity scores (i.e., economic status at parity with material resources, or with material resources in excess of economic status) had significantly lower EBV antibodies. The findings suggest significant health impacts of changes in material well-being and shifting status and prestige markers on health during the transition to a market economy in Siberia. The findings also suggest that relative, as opposed to absolute, level of economic status or material wealth is more strongly related to stress in the Siberian context.

C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase reactant and marker of inflammatory response, is known to be an important predictor of future cardiovascular mortality, independent of other risk factors. The purpose of this research was to investigate the association between CRP, adiposity, and blood pressure in the Yakut, an indigenous Siberian population undergoing rapid cultural change. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 265 healthy Yakut adults in six villages in rural northeastern Siberia. Plasma CRP was measured by high-sensitivity immunoturbidimetric assay. The median CRP value was 0.85 mg/l, with values for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of 0.30, 0.85, and 2.28 mg/l, respectively. CRP was positively associated with age (r = 0.19; P = 0.002), but not plasma lipids or smoking status. CRP was associated with measures of central adiposity and characteristics of the metabolic syndrome, particularly in women. We found significantly higher CRP across quintiles (Q) of waist circumference for women (difference = 0.7 mg/l; P = 0.035), but not men (difference = 0.36 mg/l; P = 0.515). CRP was significantly associated with systolic blood pressure in men (difference, Q1 vs. Q5 = 1.1 mg/l; P = 0.044) but not women (difference, Q1 vs. Q5 = 0.03 mg/l; P = 0.713) after adjusting for age, waist circumference, and smoking status. CRP in the Yakut was considerably lower than was reported for other populations. The low CRP levels may be explained in part by a low prevalence of abdominal obesity. Among the Yakut, the high physical-activity demands of a traditional herding lifeway likely play a role through high energy expenditure and maintenance of negative energy balance. Our findings underscore the need for further research on the metabolic activity of adipose tissue, blood pressure, and inflammatory activation in non-Western populations.

The trends in development of aortic and coronary atherosclerosis in healthy male population were studied by WHO methods in three trials: in 1963-1965, 1985-1987, 2001-2003. It was found that atherosclerosis and coronary arteries stenosis were less frequent in the native population of Yakutia than in migrants.

To study trends in prevalence, risk factors (RF) and mortality of ischemic heart disease (IHD), contribution of RF to risk of death due to IHD and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among male population of Yakutsk; to determine characteristics of atherosclerosis among native male population and migrants. A clinicopathological epidemiological trial covered male population of Yakutsk. It was performed by standard techniques within the scope of the cooperative program. The analysis of the trends for the last 10 years demonstrates a marked rise in the incidence rates of arterial hypertension (AH), overweight and hypercholesterolemia. CVD mortality reached 38.4% of overall mortality. Such factors as AH, smoking, IHD, ischemic ECG changes and overweight contribute much to the integral risk of CVD death. A comparative morphometric analysis of atherosclerosis development in 1965-1968 and 1985-1988 showed accelerated development of atherosclerosis both among native population and migrants in 1985-1988. There are population differences in development of atherosclerosis in males from native population and migrants. The effects of trace elements on formation of atherosclerosis components in the Far North were evaluated. Present-day epidemiological situation in relation to IHD and other CVD necessitates further monitoring of the situation, activation of primary and secondary IHD prevention among population of the Far North.

Aim. To study trends in prevalence, risk factors (RF) and mortality of ischemic heart disease (IHD), contribution of RF to risk of death due to IHD and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among male population of Yakutsk; to determine characteristics of atherosclerosis among native male population and migrants. Material and methods. A clinicopathological epidemiological trial covered male population of Yakutsk. It was performed by standard techniques within the scope of the cooperative program. Results. The analysis of the trends for the last 10 years demonstrates a marked rise in the incidence rates of arterial hypertension (AH), overweight and hypercholesterolemia. CVD mortality reached 38.4% of overall mortality. Such factors as AH, smoking, IHD, ischemic ECG changes and overweight contribute much to the integral risk of CVD death. A comparative morphometric analysis of atherosclerosis development in 1965-1968 and 1985-1988 showed accelerated development of atherosclerosis both among native population and migrants in 1985-1988. There are population differences in development of atherosclerosis in males from native population and migrants. The effects of trace elements on formation of atherosclerosis components in the Far North were evaluated. Conclusion. Present-day epidemiological situation in relation to IHD and other CVD necessitates further monitoring of the situation, activation of primary and secondary IHD prevention among population of the Far North.

Prevalence of hypertension among men aged 20-54 years in 17 cities of different regions was related to risk factors and ischemic heart disease mortality. The latter was recorded during the period of 6 years. Overall prevalence of hypertension was 33,6% however three groups of populations were distinguished: with low (25,2%), medium (33,7%) and high (44,8%) prevalence of hypertension. Body mass, age, alcohol, smoking, and dyslipoproteinemia contributed significantly to the prevalence of hypertension. Mortality increased with elevation of blood pressure. Relative risk of death was higher in populations with high and medium compared with low prevalence of hypertension.

Random representative sample of men aged 20-54 years in Yakutsk was followed for 10 years. Data of this follow-up were used for the study of relationship between total, cardiovascular and coronary mortality and risk factors. Cardiovascular mortality in this population constituted 38,4% of total mortality. Hypertension, smoking, diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, ischemic ECG changes and excessive body mass were significant contributors to the total risk of cardiovascular death.

Prevalence of ischemic heart disease, coronary risk factors, and nutritional habits in samples of urban aboriginal and migrant male populations in some geographical regions were correlated with postmortem extent of vascular atherosclerotic lesions. Nationality associated characteristics of development of atheroslerosis were revealed: in migrant compared to autochthon men higher risk factor profile and atherogenic diet corresponded to greater extent of vascular atherosclerosis and more pronounced lumen obstruction.

The trends in atherosclerosis presentation were followed up pathomorphologically in a two-stage epidemiological survey performed in 9 cities of CIC and Baltic states at 25-year interval. The investigations were conducted in accordance with WHO program. Stage 1 (1963-1968) covered 6121 cases, stage 2 (1985-1989) included 9201 cases. The material was collected on the condition of aortas and coronary arteries from 20-59-year-old males who were residents of the cities of Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Tallin, Tartu, Riga, Kharkov, Yalta, Ashkhabad, Bishkek. The 2-stage examinations gave evidence for growing severity of atherosclerosis. Risk factor analysis demonstrated an increase in the percentage of males with diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension, in the percentage of overweight males and of those with atherosclerosis engaged in mental work. It is found that atherosclerosis undergoes changes within the life of one generation (for 20-25 years).