Lp(a) does not affect intima media thickness in hypercholesterolemic children -a retrospective cross sectional study

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Clinical Lipidology

Background:

• Combined hyperlipidaemia accelerates atherosclerosis, increasing cardiovascular risk.
• Early identification of at-risk individuals is crucial for timely intervention.
• Intima media thickness (IMT) is a non-invasive marker for early atherosclerosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the interaction of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) on intima media thickness (IMT) in pediatric subjects.
• To assess the utility of IMT measurement in identifying early atherosclerosis in children with hypercholesterolemia.
• To compare hsCRP levels between different lipid profile groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 113 children and adolescents (aged 1-18 years) with elevated Lp(a) and/or LDL-C.
• Measurement of blood lipids, anthropometric parameters, and IMT z-score.
• Comparison of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in IMT z-score or hsCRP were observed between the groups.
• Regression analysis showed no statistically significant interaction between Lp(a) and LDL-C.
• Early atherosclerosis markers did not differ significantly in subjects aged 6-18 years.

Conclusions:

• High Lp(a) and/or high LDL-cholesterol levels in children and adolescents (6-18 years) do not correlate with significant differences in early atherosclerosis markers.
• No synergistic effects were found between Lp(a) and LDL-C in this pediatric cohort.
• IMT may not be sensitive enough to detect early atherosclerotic changes influenced by combined hyperlipidemia in this age group.