Inherited dyslipemias are disorders affecting children?

Inherited dyslipemias are well known risk factors for atherosclerosis, a degenerative process which begins in paediatric age. Aim of this study is to evaluate the biochemical expression of genetic dyslipemias in children. Methods: we have recruited 93 children (average age 8.2 +/- 4.7 ys) belonging to 53 affected families. All patients as well as a matched control group were submitted to lipoprotein profile evaluation. Total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides (Tg) analysis were performed by enzymatic methods (kit Boeringher-La Roche); TC and Tg were considered pathological if >90° percentile. Results: 72 out of the 93 children present abnormal lipid pattern; the other 21 present normal values in comparison with healthy controls. No one results obese or affected by secondary dyslipemias. Among paediatric patients we distinguished the following diseases: familial combined hyperlipemia (FCHL) in 38 of them, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in 25, lipoprotein lipase defect (LPLD) in 4, familial hypertriglyceridemia (FHL) in 3 and ipoalphalipoproteinemia in 2. The average levels of TC (mg%) resulted: FH=298+/-38, FCHL=223+/-54, LPLD=198+/-48, FHL=157+/-35, controls=162+/-30; for Tg (mg%) were: LPLD=650, FHL=122+/-57, FCHL=114+/-73, FH=65+/-31, controls=73+/-22. Ipoalphalipoproteinemic patients presented average TC=175mg% and HDL-C=16mg%. Conclusions: we suggest to test lipoprotein profile in all children belonging to families affected by inherited dyslipemias, because the biochemical expression of these disorders begin in childhood, even for diseases typical of adults, like FHL and FCHL.