Interpretation of Screening for Lipid Disorders in Children and Adolescents: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement

Abstract

Dyslipidemia due to genetic and multifactorial dyslipidemia has a predisposition to early-onset atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and consensus and guidelines regarding lipid lowering in adults are well established, but the benefits of lipid screening and treatment in childhood and adolescence for this population are not well established. The United States Preventive Medicine Task Force (USPSTF) issued the Recommendation Statement: Screening for Dyslipidemia in Children and Adolescents based on a systematic review of evidence with meta-analysis conducted in a large number of randomized controlled trials, large cohort studies in European and American countries, with the aim of assessing evidences whether initiation of lipid screening and early initiation of treatment in childhood and adolescence has long-term benefits for this population. This article provides a detailed interpretation of the guideline, which aims to provide reference to clinical healthcare workers to improve the understanding of dyslipidaemia in children and to decide whether to screen them with a view to reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.

Keywords

• dyslipidemias|child|adolescent|screening|united states preventive medicine task force