Cord blood high density lipoprotein concentration in 1797 births: Relationship to family history of coronary disease

Abstract

The familial clustering of clinical coronary heart disease (CHD) in certain families has been shown to be ‘explained’ in part by the familial aggregation of low plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentrations, independently of plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride. To explore this association further, measurements were made of HDL cholesterol and other lipoprotein lipids in cord blood from 1797 unselected births. Information on CHD prevalence in family members was obtained from the mothers of infants in the highest, modal and lowest deciles of HDL cholesterol (⩾ 1.14, 0.62–0.70 and ⩽ 0.28 mmol/l respectively). Records were also made of the sex and birthweight of the infant, the age and health of the mother, and the nature of the pregnancy and delivery. In the entire cohort, HDL cholesterol was negatively correlated with cord blood low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, but was not significantly correlated with cord blood triglyceride. On Chi-squared analysis, CHD prevalence in greatgrand-parents increased ( p < 0.05) with decreasing cord blood HDL cholesterol. A similar trend was observed for grandparents. On multivariate analysis (Duncan-Walker multiple logistic method) however, CHD prevalence in greatgrandparents and grandparents combined was not significantly correlated with HDL cholesterol, when other variables, including cord blood LDL cholesterol and total triglyceride, were held constant. Thus, the familial transmission of low HDL cholesterol levels in coronary-prone families appears to be absent at birth, and may therefore be a product of environmental rather than of genetic influences.