SERUM LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS AT BIRTH BASED ON A STUDY OF 2815 NEWBORN INFANTS

Abstract

Abstract. In a consecutive series of 2 815 newborn infants the triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol (CHOL) concentrations were determined in total cord serum and in high density lipoprotein (HDL) containing serum after precipitation of very low (VLDL) and low density lipo proteins (LDL) with heparin manganese chloride. The serum concentrations of TG and CHOL in VLDL+LDL were calculated as the differences between the concentrations in total serum and HDL. The serum concentration of TG totally, in VLDL+LDL and HDL were 0.48, 0.33 and 0.14 mmol/l, respectively, in boys and 0.47, 0.32 and 0.15 mmol/l in girls and of CHOL 1.75, 0.94 and 0.80 mmol/l in boys and 1.88, 1.00 and 0.87 mmol/l in girls. The concentrations of CHOL were significantly higher (p<0.001) in girls than in boys. The distributions of all lipid parameters were skewed to the right, that is towards higher values. Lipoprotein electrophoresis in agarose gel was performed on all serum samples. Patterns compatible with hyperbeta and/or hyperprebeta lipoproteinaemia were observed but no cbylomicrons, broad beta, late prebeta or sinking prebeta lipoprotein bands. The skew distributions of TG and CHOL may be due to primary of secondary hyperlipidaemias.