Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents from 48 countries: a cross-sectional study

Background Approximately 450 000 children are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia worldwide every year, yet only 2·1% of adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia were diagnosed before age 18 years via current diagnostic approaches, which are derived from observations in adults. We aimed to characterise children and adolescents with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and understand current approaches to the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia to inform future public health strategies. Methods For this cross-sectional study, we assessed children and adolescents younger than 18 years with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of HeFH at the time of entry into the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) registry between Oct 1, 2015, and Jan 31, 2021. Data in the registry were collected from 55 regional or national registries in 48 countries. Diagnoses relying on self-reported history of familial hypercholesterolaemia and suspected secondary hypercholesterolaemia were excluded from the registry; people with untreated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) of at least 13·0 mmol/L were excluded from this study. Data were assessed overall and by WHO region, World Bank country income status, age, diagnostic criteria, and index-case status. The main outcome of this study was to assess current identification and management of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Findings Of 63 093 individuals in the FHSC registry, 11 848 (18·8%) were children or adolescents younger than 18 years with HeFH and were included in this study; 5756 (50·2%) of 11 476 included individuals were female and 5720 (49·8%) were male. Sex data were missing for 372 (3·1%) of 11 848 individuals. Median age at registry entry was 9·6 years (IQR 5·8–13·2). 10 099 (89·9%) of 11 235 included individuals had a final genetically confirmed diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia and 1136 (10·1%) had a clinical diagnosis. Genetically confirmed diagnosis data or clinical diagnosis data were missing for 613 (5·2%) of 11 848 individuals. Genetic diagnosis was more common in children and adolescents from high-income countries (9427 [92·4%] of 10 202) than in children and adolescents from non-high-income countries (199 [48·0%] of 415). 3414 (31·6%) of 10 804 children or adolescents were index cases. Familial-hypercholesterolaemia-related physical signs, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease were uncommon, but were more common in non-high-income countries. 7557 (72·4%) of 10 428 included children or adolescents were not taking lipid-lowering medication (LLM) and had a median LDL-C of 5·00 mmol/L (IQR 4·05–6·08). Compared with genetic diagnosis, the use of unadapted clinical criteria intended for use in adults and reliant on more extreme phenotypes could result in 50–75% of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia not being identified. Interpretation Clinical characteristics observed in adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia are uncommon in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia, hence detection in this age group relies on measurement of LDL-C and genetic confirmation. Where genetic testing is unavailable, increased availability and use of LDL-C measurements in the first few years of life could help reduce the current gap between prevalence and detection, enabling increased use of combination LLM to reach recommended LDL-C targets early in life. Funding Pfizer, Amgen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Sanofi–Aventis, Daiichi Sankyo, and Regeneron

Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents from 48 countries: a cross-sectional study

Background: Approximately 450 000 children are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia worldwide every year, yet only 2·1% of adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia were diagnosed before age 18 years via current diagnostic approaches, which are derived from observations in adults. We aimed to characterise children and adolescents with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and understand current approaches to the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia to inform future public health strategies. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we assessed children and adolescents younger than 18 years with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of HeFH at the time of entry into the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) registry between Oct 1, 2015, and Jan 31, 2021. Data in the registry were collected from 55 regional or national registries in 48 countries. Diagnoses relying on self-reported history of familial hypercholesterolaemia and suspected secondary hypercholesterolaemia were excluded from the registry; people with untreated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) of at least 13·0 mmol/L were excluded from this study. Data were assessed overall and by WHO region, World Bank country income status, age, diagnostic criteria, and index-case status. The main outcome of this study was to assess current identification and management of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Findings: Of 63 093 individuals in the FHSC registry, 11 848 (18·8%) were children or adolescents younger than 18 years with HeFH and were included in this study; 5756 (50·2%) of 11 476 included individuals were female and 5720 (49·8%) were male. Sex data were missing for 372 (3·1%) of 11 848 individuals. Median age at registry entry was 9·6 years (IQR 5·8-13·2). 10 099 (89·9%) of 11 235 included individuals had a final genetically confirmed diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia and 1136 (10·1%) had a clinical diagnosis. Genetically confirmed diagnosis data or clinical diagnosis data were missing for 613 (5·2%) of 11 848 individuals. Genetic diagnosis was more common in children and adolescents from high-income countries (9427 [92·4%] of 10 202) than in children and adolescents from non-high-income countries (199 [48·0%] of 415). 3414 (31·6%) of 10 804 children or adolescents were index cases. Familial-hypercholesterolaemia-related physical signs, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease were uncommon, but were more common in non-high-income countries. 7557 (72·4%) of 10 428 included children or adolescents were not taking lipid-lowering medication (LLM) and had a median LDL-C of 5·00 mmol/L (IQR 4·05-6·08). Compared with genetic diagnosis, the use of unadapted clinical criteria intended for use in adults and reliant on more extreme phenotypes could result in 50-75% of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia not being identified. Interpretation: Clinical characteristics observed in adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia are uncommon in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia, hence detection in this age group relies on measurement of LDL-C and genetic confirmation. Where genetic testing is unavailable, increased availability and use of LDL-C measurements in the first few years of life could help reduce the current gap between prevalence and detection, enabling increased use of combination LLM to reach recommended LDL-C targets early in life

Fat-free mass and autonomy of free-living elderly people

International audienc

Factors Predicting Statin Initiation During Childhood in Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Importance of Genetic Diagnosis

International audienceOBJECTIVE: To identify childhood and parental factors associated with initiation of statin therapy in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), including underlying genetic diagnosis or parental premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter cohort study included 245 HeFH child-parent pairs from the REFERCHOL national register (2014-2020). Demographic and clinical characteristics at the last visit were collected. Vascular disease in parents was defined as a history of ASCVD, and/or a coronary artery calcium score \textgreater100, and/or stenosis of \textgreater50% in at least carotid artery. Statistical analyses included descriptive analysis, logistic regression for univariate and multivariate effects of statins, and a sensitivity analysis combining the characteristics of children and parents. RESULTS: Among the 245 children in the study cohort, 135 (58%), with a mean age of 14 ± 3 years, were treated with a statin. In multivariable analysis, the predictive childhood factors associated with statin treatment were genetic diagnosis (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.9; P = .01), older age (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.8-10.6; P = .01), more than 2 visits (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.18-4.73; P = .015), and longer duration of follow-up (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6; P \textless .001). The predictive parental factor associated with childhood treatment was the presence of vascular disease (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.0-5.7; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: HeFH confirmed by DNA testing during childhood and a history of vascular disease in parents were independently associated with statin treatment in children with HeFH. Genetic diagnosis may be useful for cardiovascular prevention in children

Factors Predicting Statin Initiation During Childhood in Familial Hypercholesterolemia: Importance of Genetic Diagnosis

International audienceOBJECTIVE: To identify childhood and parental factors associated with initiation of statin therapy in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), including underlying genetic diagnosis or parental premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). STUDY DESIGN: This multicenter cohort study included 245 HeFH child-parent pairs from the REFERCHOL national register (2014-2020). Demographic and clinical characteristics at the last visit were collected. Vascular disease in parents was defined as a history of ASCVD, and/or a coronary artery calcium score \textgreater100, and/or stenosis of \textgreater50% in at least carotid artery. Statistical analyses included descriptive analysis, logistic regression for univariate and multivariate effects of statins, and a sensitivity analysis combining the characteristics of children and parents. RESULTS: Among the 245 children in the study cohort, 135 (58%), with a mean age of 14 ± 3 years, were treated with a statin. In multivariable analysis, the predictive childhood factors associated with statin treatment were genetic diagnosis (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3 to 4.9; P = .01), older age (OR, 4.4; 95% CI, 1.8-10.6; P = .01), more than 2 visits (OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.18-4.73; P = .015), and longer duration of follow-up (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.6; P \textless .001). The predictive parental factor associated with childhood treatment was the presence of vascular disease (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.0-5.7; P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: HeFH confirmed by DNA testing during childhood and a history of vascular disease in parents were independently associated with statin treatment in children with HeFH. Genetic diagnosis may be useful for cardiovascular prevention in children

Nutritional status and dietary patterns in disabled people

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and osteoporosis are the most frequent pathologies among people with a severe reduction of physical activity. The impairment in nutritional status, consequent to quantitative and qualitative inadequacy of diet, could be one of the first steps in the development of co-morbidities in disabled subjects. In order to evaluate this hypothesis we investigated the nutritional status and the food intake in patients with physical or mental disabilities. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-seven disabled subjects (24 with exclusively physical inactivity and 13 with mental retardation and physical inactivity) mean age 33.5+/-9.2 years and 25 healthy subjects (mean age 31.0+/-9.3 years) were enrolled. Anthropometric measurements, indirect calorimetry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, dietary intake and biochemical parameters were collected for each subject. Forty percent of disabled were overweight and 14% were obese. Fat free mass (FFM) and bone mineral content (BMC) was lower and fat mass (FM) was higher than able-bodied control. Absolute resting energy expenditure (REE) was lower in disabled subjects, but this difference disappeared when REE was normalized to FFM. Dietary intake resulted unbalanced (16%, 31%, 50% of total daily energy intake derived from protein, lipid and carbohydrate respectively) with a distribution of dietary fatty acid quite far from the recommended ratio [3.1(SFA):4.1(MUFA):1.0(PUFA)] and an excessive consumption of simple carbohydrates (mean intake 17.5+/-4.9%). Insufficient intake of fibre, iron, calcium, potassium and zinc was also found. Finally, alterations in the cholesterol profile were evident in more than one third of the disabled subjects, whereas fasting glucose intolerance was evident in one fourth. CONCLUSION: This study shows a consistent nutritional status impairment in disabled patients resulting in an reduction of FFM and BMC, in an over-representation of FM and in a number of biochemical risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The altered nutritional status is counterparted by a widespread inadequacy of dietary patterns. This nutritional and dietary impairment occurs both in subjects with mental and physical diseases