Physicians' Lack of Adherence to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Guidelines for Pediatric Lipid Screening

To determine adherence to the 2011 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute lipid screening guidelines and identify patient factors promoting screening.

Records of children who received well-child care at age 11 years and turned 12 in 2013 were reviewed. Subjects were stratified by guideline-defined dyslipidemia risk based on documented medical or family history risk factors. We defined adherence as the order of a lipid profile when age 11 years or completed lipid screening at 9 to 10 years.

Of 298 subjects, 42% were assigned to the dyslipidemia high-risk subgroup. Records of 27.2% demonstrated adherence. Fifty-six percent of high-risk subjects versus 6% of their non-high-risk counterparts received lipid screening by age 12 (P < .001). Among screened subjects, history of obesity and parental history of dyslipidemia were significantly associated with lipid testing.

Lipid screening rates were low. Strategies to increase lipid screening in the primary care setting are needed.