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Lipid profile with paternal history of coronary heart disease before age 40
T Bistritzer1, L Rosenzweig, J Barr
1Assaf Harofeh Medical Centre, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Insights
Screening children of young coronary heart disease (CHD) patients effectively identifies those at high risk. Physical activity positively influences lipid profiles, suggesting it may mitigate future CHD risk in these youth.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Pediatric Lipidology
- Preventive Cardiology
Background:
- Familial hypercholesterolemia and early-onset coronary heart disease (CHD) indicate significant genetic risk.
- Understanding lipid profiles in offspring of affected parents is crucial for early intervention.
- The impact of lifestyle factors like physical activity on pediatric lipids requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess serum lipid levels in children with a paternal history of early myocardial infarction or CHD.
- To investigate the correlation between physical activity and serum lipid concentrations in these children.
- To evaluate the utility of screening progeny for identifying individuals at elevated risk for future CHD.
Main Methods:
- Serum lipid profiles (total venous cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C) were measured in 107 children from 40 families.
- Fathers with CHD before age 40 and their spouses were assessed for hyperlipidemia.
- Physical activity levels in children were correlated with their lipid concentrations.
Main Results:
- 42% of the children exhibited significant hyperlipidemia.
- No correlation was found between physical activity and total venous cholesterol or LDL-C.
- Physical activity showed a positive correlation with HDL-C and a negative correlation with triglycerides.
Conclusions:
- Screening children of young CHD patients is highly effective in identifying individuals at excessive risk for future cardiovascular disease.
- Promoting physical activity in these children may positively influence risk factors for adult-onset CHD.
- Early identification and lifestyle interventions are key in preventing familial hypercholesterolemia-related cardiovascular events.
Abstract:
Serum lipids were measured in children and their parents from 40 families in which the father had a myocardial infarction or coronary heart disease (CHD) before age 40 years. The relationship between physical activity and serum lipid concentrations in the children was also evaluated. Twenty six men had one or more abnormal lipid value (in mmol/l): total venous cholesterol (TVC) > 6.24, triglycerides < 2.55, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) > 4.42, or high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) < 0.91. There were 15 spouses with significant hyperlipidaemia (values above). In the 107 children examined, TVC mean (SD) was 4.68 (1.17), triglycerides 1.4 (0.8), LDL-C 3.0 (1.0), and HDL-C 1.18 (0.28). Altogether 42% of the children had significant hyperlipidaemia. No significant correlation was found between the degree of physical activity of the children and their LDL-C and TVC concentrations. However, a significant positive correlation was found between the degree of physical activity and HDL-C and a significant negative one with triglyceride concentrations. It is concluded that screening the progeny of young CHD patients is highly productive in identifying young people at excessive risk for future CHD. The data also suggest that promoting high degrees of activity among these children may have a positive influence on risk factors for adult onset CHD.