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Published on: October 12, 2017
Low-density lipoprotein subclasses in children under 10 years of age
K S Steinbeck1, M A Bermingham, D Mahajan
1Metabolism and Obesity Services, Department of Endocrinology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Insights
Small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is less common in children under 10 than in their parents. Familial patterns suggest inheritance of small dense LDL, which is linked to higher body mass index and insulin levels.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiovascular Health
- Metabolic Syndrome
Background:
- Small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles are associated with increased cardiovascular risk in adults.
- Understanding the prevalence and determinants of small dense LDL in children is crucial for early risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of small dense LDL (pattern B) in children under 10 years.
- To explore the relationship between small dense LDL and biochemical markers and fatness measures.
- To investigate potential familial aggregation of small dense LDL patterns.
Main Methods:
- LDL peak particle diameter (PPD) was measured using gel electrophoresis in 53 children and 65 parents.
- Apolipoproteins A1 and B, lipid profiles, insulin, and leptin were analyzed.
- Statistical analyses included t-tests, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of small dense LDL (pattern B) was 7.5% in children and 11% in parents.
- A significant familial association was observed between children's and mothers' PPD (r=0.60) and fathers' PPD (r=0.40).
- Children with smaller LDL PPD showed tendencies towards higher body mass index, waist circumference, fat mass, and insulin levels.
Conclusions:
- Small dense LDL prevalence is lower in young children compared to their parents.
- Fathers exhibited a higher prevalence of pattern B than mothers.
- Evidence suggests a familial component in the inheritance of small dense LDL patterns.
Objective:
To examine the prevalence of small dense low density lipoprotein (LDL) in a cohort of children under 10 years of age and to investigate the relationship to other biochemical variables and to measures of fatness. A preponderance of small dense LDL (pattern B), is associated with obesity, abdominal fat accumulation, insulin resistance and risk of heart disease in adults.
Methodology:
LDL peak particle diameter (PPD) was determined by gel electrophoresis in 53 children under 10 years of age and in 65 of their parents: apoproteins A1 and B were determined by turbidimetry. Anthropometric variables, basic lipid profiles, insulin and leptin had been determined previously. Differences between patterns A (large light particles > 25.5 nm diameter) and B were examined by t-test, Chi-square, or Mann-Whitney test. Relationships between the variables were reported as Pearson correlation coefficients.
Results:
Pattern B (PPD of < or = 25.5 nm) prevalence was 7.5% in children and 11% in parents (17% in men and 5% in women). Most of the children (86%) who had PPD < or = 26.0 nm also had parents with PPD in this range. A strong association was found between children's and mother's PPD (r=0.60, P < 0.001), but this was somewhat less with fathers (r=0.40, P=0.02). Children in the lowest tertile of PPD had a tendency towards a higher body mass index, waist, fat mass and insulin.
Conclusions:
The prevalence of small dense LDL is lower in children under 10 years of age than in their parents; fathers had a higher prevalence of pattern B than mothers and there is some evidence of a familial effect in the inheritance of pattern B.
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