Correlates of serum lipoprotein (A) in children and adolescents in the United States. The third National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES-III).
OBJECTIVE
To determine the correlates of serum lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) in children and adolescents in the United States.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study using representative data from a US national sample for persons aged 4-19 years participating in The Third National Health Nutrition and Examination Survey (NHANES-III).


RESULTS
We observed ethnicity-related differences in levels of Lp(a) > 30 mg/dl, with values being markedly higher in African American (black) than nonhispanic white (white) and Mexican American children in multivariate model (P < 0.001). Higher levels of Lp(a) > 30 mg/dl associated with parental history of body mass index and residence in metro compared to nonmetro in Blacks, and high birth weight in Mexican American children in the NHANES-III. In the entire group, total cholesterol (which included Lp(a)) and parental history of premature heart attack/angina before age 50 (P < 0.02) showed consistent, independent, positive association with Lp(a). In subgroup analysis, this association was only evident in white (P = 0.04) and black (P = 0.05) children. However, no such collective consistent associations of Lp(a) were found with age, gender, or birth weight.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethnicity-related differences in mean Lp(a) exist among children and adolescents in the United States and parental history of premature heart attack/angina significantly associated with levels of Lp(a) in children. Further research on the associations of Lp(a) levels in childhood with subsequent risk of atherosclerosis is needed.
Obisesan
Thomas O
TO
Department of Medicine, Howard University Hospital, Washington, USA. tobisesan@howard.edu
Aliyu
Muktar H
MH
Adediran
Abayomi S
AS
Bond
Vernon
V
Maxwell
Celia J
CJ
Rotimi
Charles N
CN