[Comparison of lipid and lipoprotein(a) metabolism in blood serum and the thickness of common carotid artery (intima-media thickness complex-- IMT), in children from families at risk for cardiovascular disease and in families without risk].

THE AIM: The aim of the study was to compare selected parameters of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in blood serum and the thickness of common carotid artery wall (intima-media thickness complex -- IMT) in children from families at risk for circulatory system disease in their history and in families without this risk.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 18 children aged 2-3 years from families with circulatory system disease in their history. The control group was composed of 16 children aged 2-3 years from families without that risk. In all of the subjects concentrations of triglycerides, total cholesterol and its fractions: LDL, VLDL, HDL and of lipoprotein(a) in blood serum were determined. The intima-media thickness (IMT) measurement in children was made with ultrasonographic method.

RESULTS: The concentration of triglycerides, VLDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) had the highest value in the blood serum of the children from the families with circulatory system disease in their history as compared to the levels of the children from families without that risk and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean values of IMT in children from families with positive history were higher than in children in the control group, but these differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: The appearance of lipid metabolism disorders and higher lipoprotein concentration in children from families with circulatory system disease in their history allows us to conclude that the children from those families constitute a high risk group. Lipid profile should be periodically controlled in those children. Moreover, in justifiable cases atherosclerosis changes indexes should be controlled as well. However; IMT examination of the carotid artery, as a non-invasion method, can be a very useful method in tracing the early development of atherosclerosis changes in children's vessels, especially in children from families with circulatory system disease in their history.