title: [Homocystein serum levels and lipid parameters in children with atherosclerosis risk factors].
abstract: Atherosclerosis is a disease of adult patients, however, it begins in childhood and progresses from fatty streaks to raised lesions in arteries in adolescence and young adults. Clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis in adulthood depends on the risk factors such as: lipid disorders, obesity, hypertension, smoking habits and family history of CHD. High serum homocysteine concentration is increasingly recognised as a new risk factor for atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases. Atherogenic effect of homocystein is related to cytotoxin action on the endothelial cells and their function. The aim of this study was to estimate relations between the homocysteine serum concentration and the lipid levels in children with atherosclerosis risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was carried out on 48 children with atherosclerosis risk factors. The control group consisted of 25 healthy childrens. Total cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), HDL-C, LDL-C were determined by enzymatic method. Concentration of homocysteine was estimated by immunoenzymatic method (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obesity, lipid disorders, and hypertension were the most frequent risk factors in the investigated children. Statistically significant higher concentration of TC, LDL-C, TG and lower HDL-C were observed in children with atherosclerosis risk factors. No significant differences in homocystein concentration were observed in the investigated groups, but homocystein concentration was significantly higher in group of children with atherosclerosis risk factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that increased number of the risk factors is followed by high homocystein concentration in the serum.
authors.affiliation: Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lodzi, Zakład Patofizjologii i Immunologii Klinicznej. annasierakowska@poczta.onet.pl
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sierakowska-Fijałek
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaczmarek
authors.forename: Lech
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pokoca
authors.forename: Ireneusz
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smorag
authors.forename: Marzenna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wosik-Erenbek
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Baj
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D052439:Lipid Metabolism Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D006710:Homocysteine