Longitudinal serum lipoprotein changes in white males during adolescence: The Bogalusa Heart Study

Abstract

Determinants of follow-up levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and the ratio of LDL-C to HDL-C were analyzed in a longitudinal study. White boys (n - 81) aged 11 to 12 years, when examined in 1973–1974 (year 1) were reexamined in 1978–1979 (year 6) at ages 16 to 17 years. During follow-up, mean levels of LDL-C increased from 87.6 mg/dL to 89.8 mg/dL, mean levels of HDL-C decreased from 67.0 mg/dL to 48.4 mg/dL and the mean LDL-C HDL-C ratio increased from 1.45 to 2.12. Cross-sectional associations between the serum lipoproteins and weight, triceps skinfold thickness, and ponderosity (wt/ht 3) were stronger in year 6 than in year 1. A persistence of ranks was observed between year 1 and year 6 for LDL-C ( r= 0.61), HDL-C ( r = 0.51), and LDL-C HDL-C ( r = 0.50). Multiple linear regression indicated that year 6 LDL-C levels were positively related to year 1 LDL-C, year 1 Tanner stage (an indication of sexual maturation), and the change in skinfold thickness during follow-up. Follow-up LDL-C HDL-C was related both to change in height (negatively) and to change in weight (positively), after controlling for year 1 LDL-C HDL-C . These longitudinal findings were similar to those obtained from earlier cross-sectional analyses and were furtehr verified on an independent cohort of white boys also followed for five years (1976–1977 through 1981–1982). These observations indicate that white boys with elevated LDL-C HDL-C levels who have large weight increases and minimal height increases during adolescence may be at high risk of developing coronary heart disease in adulthood.