Serum cholesterol concentrations in early infancy.
Sixteen healthy term infants were followed from birth to the age of 3-6 months. Total cholesterol, VLDL-LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol were determined in cord serum, in serum obtained 3-10 days after birth (mean age 4.6 days) and at the age of 3-6 months (mean 4.1 months). Mean total cholesterol increased by 1.5 mmol/l during the first 3-10 days and by an additional 1.1 mmol/l during the following 3-6 months. Mean VLDL-LdL-cholesterol increased by 1.0 mmol/l and 0.9 mmol/l, respectively, and mean HDL-cholesterol by 0.4 mmol/l and 0.3 mmol/l, respectively, during the same periods. The HDL-cholesterol: VLDL-LDL-cholesterol ratio thus fell from 1.5 at birth to 0.8 at the age of 3-10 days and to 0.6 at 3-6 months. In eight breast-fed infants, the mean total cholesterol level increased by 2.9 mmol/l from birth to the age of 3-6 months. This increase was significantly higher than the increase found in eight infants who received a cow's milk formula--i.e. 2.3 mmol/l. Free and esterified cholesterol were determined in 10 infants. Free cholesterol accounted for about one-third of the total cholesterol from birth to the age of 3-6 months.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk; D008895:Milk, Human
D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D008075:Lipoproteins, HDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D008079:Lipoproteins, VLDL; D002784:Cholesterol