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Updated: May 29, 2026
07:54
Cholesterol Efflux Assay
Published on: March 6, 2012
Paediatric screening for hypercholesterolaemia in Europe
D M Kusters1, C de Beaufort, K Widhalm
1Department of Pediatrics, Academic Medical Center, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Archives of Disease in Childhood
|September 28, 2011
Summary
Current (familial) hypercholesterolaemia screening in children has low adherence and misses many at-risk youth. Universal screening from ages 1-9 may improve early detection of this inherited condition.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Cardiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Current screening strategies for familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) in children exhibit low adherence and compliance.
- Existing methods often fail to identify a significant number of children at risk for early coronary artery disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of current screening strategies for FH in children.
- To identify optimal screening approaches for early detection and management of FH in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review was conducted.
- Analysis focused on recommended screening protocols, tools, and their limitations in Europe.
- Assessment included the precision of selective screening based on family history.
Main Results:
- Selective screening strategies, primarily family history-based, lack precision in identifying children with FH.
- A substantial proportion of children with FH, at risk for future cardiovascular disease, remain undetected.
- Current European screening tools and strategies have documented negative aspects.
Conclusions:
- Recommended selective screening for FH in children is imprecise and identifies only a fraction of affected individuals.
- Universal screening of children aged 1-9 years is proposed as a more sensitive and specific strategy.
- The clinical efficacy of universal screening for FH in children requires further validation.
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