[Lipoprotein profile in children and adolescents of the Autonomous Community of Madrid]

The aim of study was to know the lipoproteins distribution in children and adolescents from the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Spain, and to compare with other studies.

The sample included 3,635 children and adolescents (1,853 males and 1,782 females), 4 to 18 years of age. We measured total cholesterol and triglyceride levels with enzymatic methods, the HDL-cholesterol concentration in the supernatant after precipitation of the rest of the lipoproteins, and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were calculated by Friedewald formula.

Total cholesterol levels were 174 +/- 25 mg/dl (4.50 +/- 0.64 mmol/l), triglycerides 60 +/- 24 mg/dl (0.67 +/- 0.28 mmol/l), LDL-cholesterol 100 +/- 22 mg/dl (2.59 +/- 0.58 mmol/l), HDL-cholesterol 61 +/- 13 mg/dl (1.6 +/- 0.34 mmol/l). 19.23% of the children studied had cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl (> 5.18 mmol/l), and 41.5% of them had levels higher than 180 mg/dl (> 4.66 mmol/l).

The cholesterol levels as well as the HDL-cholesterol levels in the student population of Madrid, Spain, were higher when compared to other studies. Less variation was found in the LDL-cholesterol concentrations.