Highlights
- •80.2% of adults without overt CVD had LDL-C ≥3 mmol/l.
- •Severe hypercholesterolaemia (SH) was present in 3.2% of middle-aged Lithuanians.
- •Decreasing prevalence of SH was observed during 2009–2016 in Lithuania.
- •Likely phenotypic familial hypercholesterolaemia was found in 1.5% of middle-aged adults.
Abstract
Background and aims
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of premature death in Lithuania where
abnormal lipid levels are very common among middle-aged adults. The aim of this study
was to evaluate lipid profile in middle-aged Lithuanians and perform population-based
severe hypercholesterolaemia (SH) screening.
Methods
This study included men aged 40–54 and women aged 50–64 years without overt CVD, participating
in the Lithuanian High Cardiovascular Risk (LitHiR) primary prevention programme during
the period 2009–2016. Lipidograms of 92,373 adults (58.4% women and 41.6% men) included
in the database were analysed and screening for SH was performed.
Results
The mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides (TG)
among participants were 6.08 mmol/l, 3.87 mmol/l, and 1.59 mmol/l, respectively. Any
type of dyslipidaemia was present in 89.7%, and severe dyslipidaemia in 13.4% of the
study population.
80.2% of adults without overt CVD had LDL-C ≥3 mmol/l. SH (LDL-C ≥6 mmol/l) was detected
in 3.2% of study participants. Prevalence of SH decreased from 2.91% to 2.82% during
the period 2009–2016 (p for trend = 0.003). LDL-C ≥6.5 mmol/l was observed in 1.5% of subjects while both
LDL-C ≥6.5 mmol/l, and TG ≤ 1.7 mmol/l was found in 0.6% of subjects.
Conclusions
SH was present in 3.2% of the middle-aged population without overt CVD. Slightly decreasing
prevalence of SH was observed during the period 2009–2016 in Lithuania. Likely phenotypic
familial hypercholesterolaemia was observed in 1.5% of middle-aged Lithuanians. Further
clinical and genetic evaluation of people with SH is needed to detect familial forms
of SH.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 7,
2018
Received in revised form:
May 29,
2018
Received:
March 31,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
