Lipid profile abnormal in one-third of children

WASHINGTON — One-third of children aged 9 to 11 years had borderline or elevated cholesterol levels in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions.

Researchers performed a retrospective review of 9- to 11-year-olds who underwent a routine physical examination within Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates Primary Care Pediatrics clinics from January 2010 to July 2013. Demographic information and lipid panel results were obtained via the electronic medical records of 12,768 children who underwent lipid assessment. For this study, abnormal lipid levels were classified as borderline or elevated total cholesterol, LDL or non-HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, or borderline or low HDL, as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program.

The cohort was 51.4% male and was predominantly Hispanic (31.8%). Non-Hispanic whites composed 29.7 % of the study population and 33.8% of children were obese, with a mean BMI of 21.5 across all participants.

Thirty-seven percent of children had borderline or elevated total cholesterol levels, according to the study abstract. Approximately one-third of boys and girls had abnormal levels of HDL, LDL and non-HDL cholesterol, and about one-half had borderline or elevated triglycerides.

Thomas Seery

Thomas Seery, MD, pediatric cardiologist at Texas Children’s Hospital and assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, said at a press briefing that abnormal levels of total and LDL cholesterol were more common among boys than girls, whereas girls were more likely to have abnormal triglycerides and abnormal HDL levels. He also noted that obese children were more likely than non-obese children to have abnormal triglycerides, total, LDL, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol. Of non-obese children, 35.2% had abnormal total cholesterol levels.

Hispanic children were more likely than black and non-Hispanic white children to have abnormal levels of HDL and triglycerides. Seery said this finding is similar to that observed in a recent, unrelated study of adult minority groups.

“Our study of over 12,000 available lipid levels shows us that a concerning number of children have an abnormal screening lipid level,” Seery said during the briefing. He added that efforts are necessary to educate primary care providers about recommendations released by the NHLBI in November 2011 calling for universal cholesterol screening between age 9 and 11 years.

"Universal lipid screening in the preadolescent population is needed in order to prevent underdiagnosis, and to work toward making interventions and changes that can lead to reducing the incidence of adult CVD in the United States," Seery said. – by Adam Taliercio

For more information:

Seery T. Session 1259. Abstract 138. Presented at: American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions ; March 29-31, 2014; Washington, D.C.

Disclosure: Seery reports no relevant financial disclosures.