title: Tracking of serum HDL-cholesterol and other lipids in children and adolescents: the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have studied the tracking (i.e., the correlation between subsequent measurements) of serum lipids in a cohort of 2,236 children and adolescents (ages initially 3-18 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Determinations of the serum variables were made 3 and 6 years apart. Six-year tracking values (Spearman's r) were 0.63, 0.66, 0.58, and 0.36 for serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides, respectively. Boys were found to track better than girls. Subjects who remained persistently in the highest (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides) or lowest (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein ratio) quintile tended to become obese and smoked cigarettes more frequently than the others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tracking of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was higher than in previous studies, but differences in methodology may account for this. We conclude that total cholesterol and low-density as well as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol measurements in childhood and adolescence are predictive of adult values.
authors.affiliation: Cardiorespiratory Research Unit, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Porkka
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Viikari
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Akerblom
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006951:Hyperlipoproteinemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol