Comparison of the association of PAI-1 act with the metabolic syndrome markers in caucasian and black South African women

Abstract

Motivation: The detrimental effects of obesity and insulin resistance in Caucasians and African-Americans have been the focus of many recent publications, and the association between PAI-1act and markers of the metabolic syndrome is well established but data on African subjects are still lacking. Objectives: To investigate possible differences between the association of PAI-1act with markers of the metabolic syndrome in Caucasian and African women. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the POWIRS I and II studies, involving 95 African and 114 Caucasian women respectively in the Potchefstroom district of the North West Province, South Africa. Results: Mean plasma PAI-1act was significantly higher in the Caucasian than in the African subjects (p < 0.001). Markers for the metabolic syndrome explained 60% of the variance of PAI-1act in the Caucasian group, but only 2.8% of the variance of PAI-1act in the African group. Waist circumference emerged as the strongest independent predictor of PAI-1act in the Caucasian (34%) as well as the African subjects (11%). Conclusion: This study showed clear differences in PAI-1act between African and Caucasian subjects, along with differences in the association of PAI-1act with markers of the metabolic syndrome. Apparent genetic differences between the two groups (especially the role of the 4G/5G genotype) may have an important influence on PAI-1act The role of PAI-1act in the metabolic syndrome may differ between Caucasians and Africans.