Lipoprotein(a) identifies cardiovascular risk in childhood: the Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort Study.

AIM

To describe the lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a))profile and its relationship to cardiovascular risk factors in Australian Aboriginal children.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study within a longitudinal birth cohort study in the Darwin Health Region (Northern Territory, Australia). Subjects were Aboriginal children born between 1987 and 1990 who were re-examined between 1998 and 2001. Outcome measures were cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apoB, apoA1, apoA1/B ratio, anthropometric measures, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, maternal smoking and nutrition.

RESULTS

At a mean age of 11.4 years, results showed that high concentrations of Lp(a) were significantly related to well-known lipid-based CVD risk factors for both boys and girls, and that only one anthropometric factor, height, was significant for girls. Non-genetic factors and maternal smoking were not found to be significant contributors to Lp(a) concentrations.

CONCLUSIONS

Lp(a) should be considered as a more effective marker of CVD than anthropometric measures, and children from families with a history of premature CVD should be regularly screened for this factor.