[Familial aggregation of lipid and lipoprotein levels: the Cuenca study]

The aim of this study was to assess the familial aggregation of lipid levels in schoolchildren of Cuenca city, Spain.

A cross sectional study was made including 307 both sexes schoolchildren 9-12 years old recruited in three schools of Cuenca city, and 346 of their parents. Sociodemographics variables, weight, height, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and fasting plasma total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglyceride concentrations were determined.

Father-daughter and mother-daughter Spearman rank correlations coefficients in total cholesterol and LDL-C levels showed values ranging from 0.34 to 0.42 (p < 0.01). Correlation coefficients between both parents and between parents and sons were not significant. By stepwise multiple regression analysis it was found that parents' total cholesterol levels explained almost 30% of cholesterol variability in daughters and 10% in sons. This proportion was about 25% for LDL-C in daughters and was not significant in sons. Parent-children aggregation of HLD-C and triglycerides was weak.

Parent-daughter aggregation of lipid and lipoprotein levels was stronger than parent-son, which has been evidenced mainly in total cholesterol and LDL-C. It has been found no evidence of relation between parents.