Cord serum lipid and lipoprotein-cholesterol values in normal and betamethasone-treated newborns of varying gestational age.

Cord serum total cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein-, low density lipoprotein-, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglyceride was determined in 30 AGA infants and 35 SGA infants born between the larger than or equal to 37th less than or equal to 42th week of gestation and in 26 AGA infants born between the larger than or equal to 33th less than 37th week of gestation. In SGA infants significantly higher VLDL-cholesterol and triglyceride values were found than in AGA infants. In AGA infants less than 37 weeks of gestation total cholesterol, LDL-, and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were higher than in AGA infants larger than or equal to 37 weeks of gestation. In 10 betamethasone-treated AGA infants less than 37 weeks of gestation HDL-cholesterol was higher than in 16 untreated AGA infants less than 37 weeks of gestation.