Central venous catheters for lipid apheresis: First experience in young children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia

Abstract

Background and Aims: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is an autosomal-dominant genetic disorder leading to extremely increased LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) from birth onwards, resulting in high cardiovascular risk even in early childhood. Lipid-lowering drugs have limited success in hoFH. Lipid apheresis (LA) is highly effective in reducing LDL-C and should be started as early as possible to prevent premature cardiovascular events. However, venous access can be challenging in young children due to small peripheral vessels and severe anxiety. We evaluated central venous catheters (CVCs) as a possible venous access in young children with hoFH.