Research and Clinical Medicine (Dec 2016)
The prevalence of familial hypercholesterolemia in teenagers from Timișoara
Abstract
INTRODUCTION FH is one of the most frequent monogenic cholesterol disorders but its prevalence is not very well documented. Variations between 1/200-1/137 individuals have been reported in adult patients. Due to persistent hypercholesterolemia, these patients are exposed to a high risk of developing early cardiovascular disease. Although cardiovascular events usualy occur in early adulthood, the atherosclerotic prosess asymtomaticlaly commences in childhood. OBJECTIVES study aims to uncover the prevalence of dyslipidemia in teenagers from Timișoara MATERIALS AND METHODS We have conducted an epidemiological study between March and June 2016 on 318 children aged between 10-11 years old (4-th grade).We have tested the lipid profile ( total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides) from capillary blood using a point of care LipidoCare Analyzer. RESULTS Out of 318 children included in our study 242 (76,1%) had a normal lipid profile, 56 (17,1%) had mild hypercholesterolemia( LDL cholesterol values ranging between 130-160 mg/dl), 12 (3,77%) had severe hypercholesterolemia (LDL cholesterol values were over 160 mg/dl) and 8 (2,51%) children had hypertriglyceridemia. Out of this group, 2 children (0,62%-1/159) had LDL cholesterol values over 190 mg/dl, which indicates a high probability of FH. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of dyslipidemia in the studied group was similar to the scientific data reported in literature. Although this screeening is the first of it’s kind in Romania and was conducted on a large group of subjects, the results cannot be generalized. Further studies are needed in order to establish the etiology of dyslipidemia and it’s prevalence in romanian teenagers. REFERENCES 1.Wiegman A, ,Gidding SS, Watts GF et al. European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel. Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents: gaining decades of life by optimizing detection and treatment. Eur Heart J. 2015;36:2425-37. 2.Børge G. Nordestgaard, M. John Chapman, Steve E. Humphries et al. Familial hypercholesterolaemia is underdiagnosed and undertreated in the general population: guidance for clinicians to prevent coronary heart disease. Eur Heart J. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/eht273 eht273 3.Alberico LC, Ian G, De Backer G et al. 2016 ESC/EAS Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidaemias. European Heart Journal. Volume 37, Issue 39. p. 2999 - 3058
