title: Antihyperlipidemic agents cause a decrease in von Willebrand factor levels in pediatric patients with familial hyperlipidemia.
abstract: Familial hyperlipidemia is a group of genetic disorders with a predisposition to atherosclerosis. Hyperlipidemia causes increased atherosclerotic events through increased endothelial damage. In this report we aimed to measure the plasma fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor antigen (VWf:Ag) levels in pediatric patients with familial hyperlipidemias and to investigate the effects of serum lipid levels and antihyperlipidemic agents on these parameters. Of the 41 patients analyzed, vWf:Ag level was significantly lower in antihyperlipidemic receivers (132 +/- 51%, 102 +/- 19%; p = 0.010). This finding may indicate that early initiation of antihyperlipidemics in patients with familial hyperlipidemias may decrease the risk of future atherosclerotic events through not only decreasing the serum lipid levels, but also decreasing plasma vWf:Ag levels.
authors.affiliation: Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Department ofPediatrics, 06100, Ankara, Turkey. siyalcin@hacettepe.edu.tr
authors.forename: S Songül
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yalçin
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Güneş
authors.forename: Sule
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gümrük
authors.forename: Turgay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coşkun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004035:Diet Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D055815:Young Adult; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D008055:Lipids; D014841:von Willebrand Factor