Variability of lipid and lipoprotein concentrations during puberty in Brazilian boys

Evaluation of lipid profile in children and adolescents is important for early diagnosis of dyslipidemias. Physiological changes might be observed in the concentration of the lipid profile components, according to the stage of sexual maturation.

To evaluate the variation in lipid and lipoprotein concentrations in boys during puberty.

The sample consisted of 570 male adolescents with ages between 10 and 17 years. Weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were assessed. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglyceride (TG) were determined by the enzymatic method, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated. Puberty was classified according to Tanner references. The percentile criterion was adopted for the distribution and identification of lipoprotein levels. The analysis of variance and description tests with p<0.05 was applied.

Participants had similar BMI z-score and physical activity habits in all groups. A significant reduction in TC and HDL-C concentrations between the start and end of puberty was observed. LDL-C levels rose during stage 3 of development, decreasing at the end of the pubertal process. TG levels did not change significantly with pubertal status.

Lipid and lipoprotein concentrations tend to undergo changes during puberty in boys. The use of percentile values can be very useful to track variations in lipid and lipoprotein levels during the maturation process.