Lipoprotein (a) and cardiovascular risk factors in children and adolescents

Lipid Biomarkers and Atherosclerosis-Old and New in Cardiovascular Risk in Childhood

Lipids are a complex group of molecules in the body, essential as structural, functional and metabolic components. When disbalanced, they are regarded as a cardiovascular risk factor, traditionally in cholesterol level evaluation. However, due to their complex nature, much research is still needed for a comprehensive understanding of their role in atherosclerosis, especially in the young. Several new lipid biomarkers are emerging, some already researched to a point, such as lipoproteins and apolipoproteins. Other lipid molecules are also being increasingly researched, including oxidized forms due to oxidative inflammation in atherosclerosis, and sphingolipids. For many, even those less new, the atherogenic potential is not clear and no clinical recommendations are in place to aid the clinician in using them in everyday clinical practice. Moreover, lipids' involvement in atherogenesis in children has yet to be elucidated. This review summarizes the current knowledge on lipids as biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in the paediatric population.

Lipoprotein(a) and Hyperinsulinemia in Healthy Normal-weight, Prepubertal Mexican Children

Background. Given the numerous gaps in our knowledge about the biological interactions of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], we determined whether Lp(a) was associated with hyperinsulinemia in healthy normal-weight, prepubertal children.Methods. A total of 131 healthy normal-weight Mexican children aged 6 to 9 years at Tanner stage 1 who were born appropriate for gestational age were enrolled in a case-control study. Children with hyperinsulinemia were allocated into the case group (n = 32), and children with normal insulin levels were allocated into the control group (n = 99). Birth weight, age, and body mass index were matching criteria. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to compute the odds ratio (OR) between Lp(a) and both hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance. Furthermore, a multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between Lp(a) and both insulin levels and HOMA-IR. Both models were adjusted by sex, age, birth weight, and body mass index.Results. The median (25-75 percentile) serum levels of Lp(a) [20.0 (13.7-29.6) versus 14.6 (10.6-26.7) mg/dL, p = .003] and insulin [24.5 (6.0-30) versus 7.9 (4.3-9.0) µU/L, p < .0005] were higher in the case group than in the control group. The logistic regression analysis showed that Lp(a) was associated with hyperinsulinemia (OR 5.86; 95%CI 2.5-13.6, p < .0005) and insulin resistance (OR 2.01; 95%CI 1.1-9.9, p = .004). In addition, the linear regression analysis showed a significant association between serum Lp(a) and insulin levels (β 11.1; 95%CI 1.8-10.9, p < .0001) and the HOMA-IR index (β 2.606; 95%CI 2.3-2.9, p < .0005).Conclusion. Lp(a) was associated with hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in healthy normal-weight, prepubertal children.

Body Adiposity and Apolipoproteins in Children and Adolescents: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies

Fundamento

Excesso de adiposidade corporal e doenças cardiovasculares são problemas mundiais com crescente prevalência em crianças e adolescentes, sendo necessário investigar a relação destes, afim de construir estratégias de enfrentamento.

Objetivo

Investigar influência do excesso de adiposidade corporal sobre os níveis séricos de apolipoproteínas B e A1 (ApoB e ApoA1) em crianças e adolescentes.

Métodos

Busca sistemática nas bases de dados Medline/PubMed, Embase, Lilacs, Web of Science, Ovid e Science Direct de coortes consideradas elegíveis, avaliando-se qualidade metodológica e risco de viés; estudos combináveis, com boa qualidade e baixo risco de viés foram analisados com metanálise; a medida sumária utilizada foi a diferença de média ponderada e seu respectivo intervalo de confiança a 95%.

Resultados

8 artigos preencheram os critérios de elegibilidade, incluindo indivíduos com média de idade variando de 9 a 15,7 anos. Para a metanálise, incluíram-se 4 artigos, com total de 7.974 crianças e adolescentes. Observou-se aumento médio de 4,94 mg/dL (IC 95%: 4,22 a 5,67 mg/dL) nos níveis de ApoB naqueles com excesso de adiposidade. Para a ApoA1, identificou-se redução média de -8,13 mg/dL (IC 95%: - 9,09 a -7,17 mg/dL) nos níveis séricos desse marcador em indivíduos com maior adiposidade corporal. Além disso, a influência do excesso de adiposidade corporal sobre os níveis de ApoA1 e ApoB foi maior entre adolescentes do que entre crianças.

Conclusões

O excesso de adiposidade corporal influenciou tanto na redução dos valores de ApoA1 quanto no aumento dos níveis de ApoB em crianças e adolescentes, e tais alterações foram mais relevantes entre adolescentes.(Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

Childhood obesity: an overview of laboratory medicine, exercise and microbiome

In the last few years, a significant increase of childhood obesity incidence unequally distributed within countries and population groups has been observed, thus representing an important public health problem associated with several health and social consequences. Obese children have more than a 50% probability of becoming obese adults, and to develop pathologies typical of obese adults, that include type 2-diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension. Also environmental factors, such as reduced physical activity and increased sedentary activities, may also result in increased caloric intake and/or decreased caloric expenditure. In the present review, we aimed to identify and describe a specific panel of parameters in order to evaluate and characterize the childhood obesity status useful in setting up a preventive diagnostic approach directed at improving health-related behaviors and identifying predisposing risk factors. An early identification of risk factors for childhood obesity could definitely help in setting up adequate and specific clinical treatments.