Do neonates with high serum cholesterol levels have a different high density lipoprotein composition?

In order to ascertain whether the high density lipoprotein (HDL) composition of neonates with high serum cholesterol levels (> or =2.59 mmol/l or > or =100 mg/dl) differs from that of neonates with normal serum cholesterol levels (< 2.59 mmol/l), 548 cord blood samples were examined from full-term newborns of the Toledo Study (Spain) of whom no perinatal factors were known which could alter cord blood lipid levels. Newborns were selected according to the following criteria: single and eutocic delivery with cephalic presentation, gestational age between the beginning of the 37th week and the end of the 41st week, body weight between 2.5 kg and 3.999 kg and an Apgar score of > or =7 and > or =9 at 1 min and 5 min, respectively. The prevalence of high serum total cholesterol (TC) level was greater (P < 0.02) in females than in males. Newborns with high TC levels had higher triglyceride (P < 0.01), HDL-cholesterol (P < 0.001) and apoprotein (Apo) A-I (P < 0.001) levels, and a higher TC/HDL-cholesterol ratio (P < 0.05), but a lower HDL-cholesterol/Apo A-I ratio (P < 0.05). ANOVA two-way analysis showed a significant effect of gender and serum cholesterol level and a statistical interaction of these two factors upon triglycerides, Apo A-I, and the HDL-cholesterol/Apo A-I ratio. However, HDL-cholesterol and the TC/HDL-cholesterol ratio were higher in neonates (males plus females) with high serum TC but they were not affected by sex. The larger HDL particles in males with high TC levels (HM) should be associated with the higher triglyceride level found in those individuals.

The composition of high density lipoproteins in newborns is influenced by the serum cholesterol level and by gender. Neonates with high total cholesterol have larger average high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. If total cholesterol is elevated, HDL from males carries more cholesterol than HDL from females.