Modulation of plasma triglycerides concentration by sterol-based treatment in children carrying different genes

Dyslipidemias have increased during the last decades in children.

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of different polymorphisms in plasma triglyceride levels of children following a dietary treatment with plant sterols.

A randomized, double-blind, crossover, controlled clinical trial was carried out in 26 children (16 women).

Commercial milk, with 2.24 g sterols, was ingested daily during 3 weeks , and the same amount of kimmed milk without sterols, during the 3 week placebo phase. Both phases were separated by a washout period of 2 weeks. At the beginning and end of each phase, blood draws were performed.

Apolipoprotein A5 Ser19Trp (P = 0.002), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha L162V (P = 0.003), APOE APOE2/3/4 (P = 0.012), and APOE APOE2,3,4 (P = 0.025) show statistically significant differences between their haplotypes in plasma triglyceride levels. Other genes did not show statistically significant differences.

Further studies are needed to establish which genotype combinations would be the most protective against hypertriglyceridemia.