Total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol distribution in Spanish children andadolescents: RICARDIN Study

BACKGROUND: The RICARDIN Study -multicenter study of cardiovascular risk fa ctors in children and adolescents- has described the standards of normality of blood cholesterol levels in the Spanish school population. The objectiv e of the present study was to compare mean values of cholesterol between di fferent regions of Spain, and to compare the global mean with a pool intern ational study. Also, the pattern of total cholesterol and cHDL by age and s ex using mathematical model is described, and comparison with two internati onal studies carried out in USA and Japan is performed. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 10,683 children aged 6 to 18 were selected from 7 dif ferent Spanish provinces (Madrid, Vizcaya, Lugo, Badajoz, Murcia, Asturias and Barcelona). Blood samples were obtained by capilar puncture (Reflotron( R)). RESULTS: Mean values of total cholesterol was different among provinces, an d globally, were lower than the international pooled population, although t he pattern observed in each population was very similar. Total cholesterol curve far Spanish boys showed a curvilinear trend that can be estimated thr ough a cubic function that explains 89% of observed data, while far girls t he best estimate was obtained through an inverse function (R-2 = 0.40). cHD L far boys showed a cubic function as the best estimate (R-2 = 0.90), while for girls the best estimate was obtained through a quadratic function (R-2 = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Theta are important physiological variations of total choleste rol level by age and sex in children and adolescents. The pattern of choles terol does not follow a linear model but a curvilinear one, that need to be considered in clinically assessing individual determinations of cholestero l, since highest percentiles can vary by age and sex.