Distribution of Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in children and young people with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) compared to those without FH: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

What was studied

This review compared lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), levels in children and young people. Some had familial hypercholesterolemia, called FH. Others did not. Lp(a) is a blood fat linked to heart disease in adults. The team searched many databases. Studies varied too much to pool. So the team wrote a narrative summary.

What they found

Most children without FH had Lp(a) below adult risk thresholds. Children with FH had higher Lp(a) in a consistent way. A notable share of them were above adult high-risk thresholds.

What it means for patients

The authors say high Lp(a) is far more common in children with FH. They say targeted Lp(a) screening may help early risk checks. They say research is needed to set risk thresholds for children. They say trials are needed on lowering Lp(a).

Why it is not certain yet

Studies differed in test methods, units and reporting. So the data could not be pooled. The summary is narrative. The abstract does not give the number of studies. Not every fact is in the abstract. Some of the work is not described there.

Source

Distribution of Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in children and young people with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) compared to those without FH: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

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