Background Few studies compared populations with similar genetic and culture background on different continents with standardized methods. Objective To describe methodological issues of the Study of Health in Pomerode - SHIP-Brazil and some characteristics of the participants of the baseline examination. Design and Setting Prospective, population-based cohort study of a representative sample of residents (aged 20 to 79 years) of Pomerode, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Methods Data for the baseline survey (from 2014 to 2018) were collected through interviews and medical examinations, including socio-demographic and lifestyle information, clinical and subclinical conditions, oral and mental health, among others. Biosamples (blood, urine, stool, and saliva) were collected and stored. Methods of data collection and quality control are described. Preliminary descriptive statistics were performed. Results The response rate was 67.6% (n=2,488 individuals). The Kappa test-retest of some variables varied from 0.54 to 1.0. German culture participants are older (46.5 vs 38.7 years), self-declared white (97.3% vs 82.1%), more frequently never smokers (71.4% vs 66.9%) but had higher risk of consuming alcohol (16.9% vs 13.4%) compared to participants with non-German background. Germans were taller (169 cm vs 166 cm), had greater abdominal circumference among men (101.9 cm vs 97.3 cm). Furthermore, they reported more multimorbidity (56.7% vs 43.6%) , had more arterial hypertension (30.7% vs 18.5%), but less depression (15.4% vs 19,1%) than non-Germans. Conclusions The interaction of genetic and social/environmental issues should be examined to understand the role of risk factors on clinical conditions observed.

Introdução Poucos estudos compararam populações com histórico genético e cultural semelhante em diferentes continentes com métodos padronizados. Objetivos Descrever questões metodológicas do estudo de “Vida e Saúde em Pomerode - SHIP-Brazil” e algumas características dos participantes do exame inicial do estudo. Desenho de estudo e local Estudo de coorte prospectivo de base populacional em amostra representativa de moradores (20 a 79 anos) de Pomerode, Santa Catarina. Métodos As informações para a linha de base (de 2014 a 2018) foram coletadas por meio de entrevistas e exames médicos, incluindo dados sociodemográficos, de estilo de vida, condições clínicas e subclínicas, saúde bucal e mental, entre outros. Amostras biológicas (sangue, urina, fezes e saliva) foram coletadas e armazenadas. A coleta de dados e o controle de qualidade foram descritos. Foram realizadas análises descritivas preliminares. Resultados A taxa de resposta foi de 67,6% (n=2.488 indivíduos). O Kappa teste-reteste de algumas variáveis variou  de 0,54 a 1,0. Os participantes de cultura alemã são mais velhos (46,5 vs 38,7 anos ), autodeclarados brancos (97,3% vs 82,1%), com menor número de fumantes (71,4% vs 66,9%), mas tiveram maior risco de consumir álcool (16,9% vs 13,4%), eram mais altos (169 cm vs 166 cm), tinham maior circunferência abdominal entre os homens (101,9 cm vs 97,3 cm) em comparação com participantes “não-alemães”. Pessoas de cultura alemã relataram mais multimorbidade (56,7% vs 43,6%), apresentavam mais hipertensão arterial (30,7% vs 18,5%), mas menos depressão (15,4% vs 19,1%). Conclusões A interação genética e social/ambiental devem ser examinadas para melhor entender o papel desses fatores de risco nas condições clínicas observadas.

Abstract Background Nothing is known about ischemic heart disease (IHD) in the Germans who emigrated to Brazil during the last century. Objective We sought to compare age at diagnosis and IHD manifestations between German immigrants and their first-generation descendants in the region of Blumenau, Brazil. Methods We reviewed medical records of hospitals in Blumenau. Comparison of the groups in the evaluation times was made by analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures, and comparison of two factors was made by two-way ANOVA. The level of significance was set at p <0.05. Results Study population comprised 68 patients who were born in Germany (group G) and 99 descendants (group D). Twenty-nine patients of group D had two German parents and 70 had one. Mean age at diagnosis was 66.8 ± 10.6 years, with a significant difference between the groups, four years higher in Group G than group D (69.0 ± 8.8 vs 65.4 ± 11.5 years old) (p = 0.025). There was no significant difference in risk factors or coronary angiography data between the groups. HDL cholesterol levels were significantly higher in group G than in group D (48.4 ± 11.1 mg/dL vs 43.3 ± 11.2 mg/dL, p = 0.005). Conclusion At the time of first IHD diagnosis, mean age of the group G was significantly higher than group D, with no differences between groups in sex, risk factors, LDL levels, or clinical and angiographic manifestations. An earlier manifestation of the disease could be part of lifestyle changes in descendants, in this population that mantained eating habits characterized by high saturated fat consumption.