Infant blood lipids: a systematic review of predictive value and influential factors

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Blood lipid screening recommendations begin at ages 9–11 years, despite poor adherence and evidence of fatty streaks in coronary arteries by 3 years of age. For cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention, there may be value in earlier measurement of blood lipids.

Areas covered

The present systematic review examines evidence concerning total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides during the infant period. Included are studies examining the extent to which infant blood lipids predict later values in childhood and factors that influence their magnitude. A total of 38 articles (published from 1965 to 2013) met inclusion criteria and were examined in this review.

Expert opinion

Longitudinal data suggest correlative relationships in all lipid values around 6 months of age, except for TRG. Influential factors related to blood lipids in infancy include sex, race, family history, feeding, gestational length, birth weight, and maternal factors. Clinical measurement of infant lipids could perhaps provide an early marker of CVD and a target of early CVD prevention strategies. The identification of personal characteristics that associate with high or low values in each lipid could become important in the early identification of vulnerable populations and the promotion of personalized CVD prevention.

KEYWORDS:

• Cholesterol
• triglycerides
• infancy
• cardiovascular disease prevention
• lipids

Article highlights

• Infant total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, and triglycerides correlate with future values in middle childhood, starting at 6 months of age. The predictive value of the infant lipid value increases as the infant ages until 1 year.

• Sex, race, family history, feeding, gestational length, birth weight, and maternal factors all influence the lipid profiles of infants.

Authors’ contributions

IFK conceived, designed, gathered and interpreted data and wrote the manuscript. JV edited the manuscript. DF interpreted data and edited the manuscript. JH, designed and approved the manuscript. All authors have participated sufficiently to this work and take public responsibility for the content.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose. 

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by Michigan State University M.D. – Ph. D program.