Lipoprotein profiles in hypercholesterolemic children
Article Abstract:
Since atherosclerosis (deposition of fatty plaque along the walls of arteries) is a disorder that begins early in life, determining children's blood cholesterol levels seems worthwhile. The results are presented from closer study of the lipoprotein levels of 500 children (at least 3 years old) who had been found in routine testing to have blood cholesterol levels higher than 200 milligrams per deciliter. Lipoproteins are molecules composed of a lipid (fatty) part and a protein part; cholesterol is part of the lipid component. The density of lipoproteins varies inversely according to the lipid content; low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) have a higher lipid content than high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). The current study presents the concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG, another fatty substance), as well as LDL/HDL ratios for the subjects. The average LDL/HDL ratio was 2.9: a normal value from another school-age population was 1.6. Eighty-five percent of the group had abnormal lipoprotein patterns. These patterns are described in detail, as are hypotheses concerning their possible physiological effects. Approximately one third of children with cholesterol levels above 200 milligrams per deciliter had a family member who experienced a heart attack at an age younger than 55. The fact that diet, exercise, smoking avoidance, and other factors that influence the development of coronary heart disease can be regulated, argues strongly for cholesterol screening in childhood to identify those at risk so that preventive measures can be taken. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: American Journal of Diseases of Children
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-922X
Year: 1991
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Diurnal variation in the pharmacokinetics and myelotoxicity of mercaptopurine in children with acute lymphocytic leukemia
Article Abstract:
The most common form of cancer in children is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Therapeutic developments of the past two decades have resulted in an average cure rate of close to 90 percent in patients who are low-risk. Normal maintenance therapy includes daily doses of mercaptopurine and weekly doses of methotrexate. Recent studies suggest that the pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution and action of drugs in the body) of these drugs have an effect on the clinical response of the patients. To further investigate this, 13 children with ALL who were considered to be in remission and were receiving maintenance therapy were studied. Normally, the children received their treatments in the morning. Blood samples were obtained before treatment and at regular intervals following treatment with mercaptopurine. Concentrations of the drug were consistently higher in the evening than they were in the morning. A second study assessed 12 children with ALL who received the normal daily dose of mercaptopurine, but at a different time. When the treatment schedule was changed from morning to evening, all of the patients had reduced peripheral white blood cell counts after two weeks. These findings indicate that evening doses of mercaptopurine for children with ALL may provide for a more favorable outcome because the drug's effectiveness is enhanced. Additional studies are recommended to establish whether longer survival results from evening versus morning treatments. But it should be noted that the evening schedule may cause an undesirable effect of myelotoxicity (destruction of the bone marrow). (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: American Journal of Diseases of Children
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0002-922X
Year: 1990
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