The study of cardiovascular risk in adolescents – ERICA: rationale, design and sample characteristics of a national survey examining cardiovascular risk factor profile in Brazilian adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundThe Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (Portuguese acronym, “ERICA”) is a multicenter, school-based country-wide cross-sectional study funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, which aims at estimating the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, including those included in the definition of the metabolic syndrome, in a random sample of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years in Brazilian cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants. Approximately 85,000 students were assessed in public and private schools. Brazil is a continental country with a heterogeneous population of 190 million living in its five main geographic regions (North, Northeast, Midwest, South and Southeast). ERICA is a pioneering study that will assess the prevalence rates of cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian adolescents using a sample with national and regional representativeness. This paper describes the rationale, design and procedures of ERICA.Methods/DesignParticipants answered a self-administered questionnaire using an electronic device, in order to obtain information on demographic and lifestyle characteristics, including physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, sleeping hours, common mental disorders and reproductive and oral health. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. Anthropometric measures (weight, height and waist circumference) and blood pressure were also be measured. Blood was collected from a subsample of approximately 44,000 adolescents for measurements of fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, glycated hemoglobin and fasting insulin.DiscussionThe study findings will be instrumental to the development of public policies aiming at the prevention of obesity, atherosclerotic diseases and diabetes in an adolescent population.

Validity of informed birth weight. Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents (ERICA) - Rio de Janeiro

“…Further details on the protocol of the study can be found in Bloch et al 9 The data collection from ERICA took place in the period of March 2013 to December 2014 and this study was approved by the ethics committee of research in the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.…”

Challenges for conducting blood collection and biochemical analysis in a large multicenter school-based study with adolescents: lessons from ERICA in Brazil

“…All students of randomly selected classes were invited to participate in ERICA, but only students of the morning classes participated in fasting blood collection and only adolescents aged between 12 and 17 years were eligible. Details of ERICA's study design and sampling are available in other studies 5,6 .…”

“…The need for any referrals to a local health service due to the presence of risk factors for CVD (e.g. dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, or high HbA1c) was indicated in this form 5 . If urgent, for example in case of a suspected new diagnosis of diabetes, the ERICA central coordination immediately contacted the local coordinator, who was responsible for contacting the adolescents.…”

Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery in Adolescents: a Path to Decrease Adult Cardiovascular Mortality

“…A large epidemiological study is currently examining more than 85,000 adolescents in Brazil in order to estimate a nationally representative prevalence of CV risk factors [64]. This study promises interesting data on lifestyle, dietary, anthropometric, physiological, and biochemical measures, including weight, height and waist circumference; BP; fasting glucose, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, glycated hemoglobin, and fasting insulin.…”