Atherosclerosis risk factors in children of high risk families

The Objective of this study was to determine the frequency of care reactive atherosclerosis risk factors in children of parents with premature coronary heart disease observed before their 45 years of age for the promotion of the effectivity of the preventive work started in childhood and adolescent ages. METHODS: Height and weight was measured. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Fat analysis was performed in children with overweight. Blood pressure was measured and both 24 hour monitoring and fundoscopy were performed in cases with a blood pressure higher than 90 centile values. Fasting blood sugar (BS) level was measured. Oral glucose tolerance test was made in cases with a fasting BS level higher than 5 mmol/l. Serum total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDLC) and total triglyceride (TT) levels were measured and LDL-cholesterol (LDLC) level was calculated. The plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive system (TBARS) was investigated. Statistical analyses were performed by chi2 and Student t-probes. Data of 1140 offsprings and 457 referents without any high atherosclerotic risk family history were analyzed. RESULTS: BMI of 87 offsprings was higher than the 90 centile value. The fat percent of the body of these children was higher than 40. The blood pressure of 311 children and adolescents was higher than the 90 centile value. Fasting BS level was higher than 5 mmol/l in 47 cases 17 of them showed a pathologic oral glucose tolerance test. High serum TC level was observed in 67 cases, high serum TT level was found in 8 cases. 245 offsprings had a low serum HDLC level. The plasma TBARS level was high in 241 cases. Data of referents differed significantly from those of offsprings. Their serum TC, LDLC levels and plasma TBARS level were lower, serum HDLC level was higher than that of children and adolescents with high risk atherosclerotic family history. CONCLUSION: Risk factors of atherosclerosis are detectable in children and adolescents of high risk families. The measurement of these factors may help the efficacy of the preventive work.