AHA illuminates strategies for screening, diagnosis, management of hypertriglyceridemia in children

Investigators have called for a greater uptake in screening for hypertriglyceridemia in pediatric patients.

In a Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, the investigators detailed that up to 20% of U.S. youths may have hypertriglyceridemia, the prevalence of which is higher in those with an elevated body mass index. Recent research has indicated that the condition could be associated with obesity, insulin resistance and steatotic liver disease as well as a heightened risk of acute pancreatitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The investigators identified a low rate of screening for hypertriglyceridemia in pediatric patients. They recommended that all patients aged 9 to 11 years and 17 to 21 years should undergo universal cholesterol screening and that patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors — including obesity, kidney disease, diabetes and hypertension — should undergo selective screening. They emphasized that patients diagnosed with the condition should follow a lifestyle modification regimen consisting of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day, dietary alterations and pharmacotherapy. Clinicians should inform patients about the importance of increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, lean and plant-based proteins, low-fat dairy and soy products, whole grains and healthy oils as well as limiting the intake of refined carbohydrates and sugars.

The investigators stressed the critical need for further studies aimed at establishing more effective triglyceride-lowering interventions, including safe and effective pharmacotherapies, to treat hypertriglyceridemia in this patient population.

Read more: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology

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