[Lipid peroxidation and plasma vitamin E concentration in hypercholesterolemic children from Medellin (Colombia)].
BACKGROUND
Serum lipid abnormalities in early childhood are risk factors for atherosclerosis. Lipid peroxidation might play an important role in this process, along with hypercholesterolemia.


OBJECTIVE
To compare plasma concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin E in two groups of children: one group with low density lipoproteins (LDL) concentrations > or = 130 mg/dL and another group with LDL concentrations < 130 mg/dL.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study. Healthy schoolchildren from the city of Medellin selected by probabilistic sampling performed by staff at the Universidad de Antioquia in Colombia.


METHODS
There were 134 subjects, aged 6 to 9 years old, divided into two groups: a group of 67 hypercholesterolemic children (LDL > or = 130 mg/dL) and a control group of 67 normocholesterolemic children (LDL < 130 mg/dL).


RESULTS
Hypercholesterolemic children with a mean serum LDL concentration of 147.7 +/- 15.5 mg/dL and a total cholesterol concentration of 212 +/- 17 mg/dL had higher MDA plasma concentrations than the control group (0.18 +/- 0.1 6 microM; 0.08 +/- 0.06 microM, p < 0,0001, respectively). A negative correlation was observed between alpha-tocopherol/total lipids ratio and MDA values in children with hypercholesterolemia (r = -0.337 p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Lipid peroxidation was higher in hypercholesterolemic children than in the control group and was even higher when there was a deficit in the alpha-tocopherol/total lipids ratio. Hypercholesterolemia and lipid peroxidation are co-existing risk factors that are established during school age.
Velásquez Rodríguez
C M
CM
Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Nutrición, Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia. claver@pijaos.udea.edu.co
Uscátegui Peñuela
R M
RM
Burgos Herrera
L C
LC
D002648:Child; D003105:Colombia; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde