Atherogenic lipid profile of Brazilian near-term newborns

I.M.C.G. Pardo,M.A. Tambascia,B. Geloneze,A.A. Barros-Filho

doi:10.1590/s0100-879x2005000500013

I.M.C.G. Pardo, M.A. Tambascia + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s0100-879x2005000500013

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Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of death in Brazil. Recent studies have shown that low birth weight and preterm birth are linked to a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to compare the levels of lipids and apolipoproteins and atherogenic indexes between term and near-term newborn infants. A sample of umbilical cord blood was obtained from 135 newborns (66 males) divided into two groups: 25 near-term neonates (35-36.6 weeks of gestational age) and 110 term neonates (37-42 weeks of gestational age). The total cholesterol concentrations were higher in the near-term neonates than in the term group (94.04 +/- 8.02 vs 70.42 +/- 1.63 mg/dl, P < 0.01), due to an increase in the LDL-cholesterol fraction in the near-term group (57.76 +/- 6.39 vs 34.38 +/- 1.29 mg/dl, P < 0.001). The atherogenic indexes (total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I) were higher in the near-term group (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.05, respectively). The gestational age of the newborns was inversely correlated with total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, and also with the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol indexes. These findings demonstrate that the lipid profile is worse in the group of near-term neonates compared with the term group. Future studies are needed to determine if this atherogenic profile in near-term neonates can affect body metabolism, increasing the risk for cardiovascular diseases in adult life.

Highlights

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of death in developed countries, as well as in Brazil and other Latin American countries [1]
No gender differences were found in cord blood total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, apolipoprotein B, or atherogenic indexes
The cholesterol levels detected in umbilical cord blood were lower than those found in plasma of adults

Summary

Introduction

Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of death in developed countries, as well as in Brazil and other Latin American countries [1]. Barker et al [6] demonstrated that low birth weight correlated with an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. These investigators suggested that this association reflects the phenomenon known as programming, whereby a stimulation or insult during a critical period of intrauterine life could result in alterations of physiology and metabolism during adult life [7]. Recent studies demonstrated that the detection of these markers in umbilical cord blood from term newborns could identify neonates at a higher risk for coronary heart disease [8,9]

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