Reference values for serum lipids and lipoproteins in Spanish adolescents: the AVENA study.
OBJECTIVE
To provide current reference values for serum lipid and lipoprotein levels in Spanish adolescents according to age and sex.


METHODS
A cross sectional study conducted in five representative Spanish cities (Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Zaragoza) including a representative sample of 581 adolescents (299 male and 282 female), aged 13 to 18.5 years. Age- and sex-specific means, standard deviations and percentiles were determined for: Total (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDLc) and low density lipoprotein (LDLc) cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein A-1 and B-100, and lipoprotein(a).


RESULTS
The 90th percentile for TC was 4.95 mmol/L for males and 5.19 mmol/L for females. HDLc levels were significantly higher in females of all age groups. LDLc levels ranged from 2.32 to 2.54 mmol/L in males and from 2.38 to 2.62 mmol/L in females, peaking at 13 years of age in both sexes. Triglyceride levels tended to increase gradually and to peak at 17 years of age for both sexes. Apolipoprotein A-1 and B-100 levels paralleled those of HDLc and LDLc values, respectively. The geometric mean for lipoprotein(a) levels ranged from 0.44 to 0.57 micromol/L in males and from 0.50 to 0.67 pmol/L in females.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study provides reference data on the distribution of lipid and lipoprotein levels of Spanish adolescents.
Ruiz
Jonatan R
JR
Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Granada, Spain. ruizj@ugr.es
Ortega
Francisco B
FB
Moreno
Luis A
LA
Wärnberg
Julia
J
Gonzalez-Gross
Marcela
M
Cano
Maria D
MD
Gutierrez
Angel
A
Castillo
Manuel J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I / Q000097:blood; D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100 / Q000097:blood; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D013030:Spain; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014505:Urban Population
D016632:Apolipoprotein A-I; D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008055:Lipids; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol