ELSEVIER Atherosclerosis 112 (1996) 79-88 atherosclerosis Prevalence of hyperapobetalipoproteinemia and factors affecting the phenotype expression in children and young adults The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study Ilpo 0. Nuotio”‘b’*, Kimmo V.K. Porkka’, Olli T. Raitakarib,d, Terho Lehtimski’, Jukka Marniemif, Simo Taimelab, Leena Suurinkeroinen”, Jorma S.A. Viikari” “The Department of Medicine, Unil;ersit)> of’ Turku, Kiinamyilynkatu IO, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland “The Curdiorespiratorv Research Unit, Unicersit?,of‘ Turku, Kiinamvlivnkatu 10, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland ‘T&z Depurtment of’ Medicine, Unitrersity of H&&i, Helsinki, Finland “The Department of Clinical Physiology, Unicersity of Turku. Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FIN-20520 Turku, Finlund “The Medical School, University qf Tampere and Tumpere Unioersit.v Hospital, Tampere, Finland ‘The Research and Development Centre of’ the Social lnsurunce Institution, Turku, Finland Received 4 April 1995; revised19 October 1995: accepted 27 October 1995 Abstract Hyperapobetalipoproteinemia (hyperapoB) is one of the most common phenotypes in patients with premature coronary heart disease.In this study the factors that affect the expression of the hyperapoB phenotype were evaluated in young individuals. A cohort of 1125 children and young adults aged 9-24 years was classified into three groups by sex: (1) normal serum apolipoprotein B (apoB), (2) high apoB (2 90th percentile) and normal low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C < 90th), (3) high apoB and high LDL-C (2 90th percentile). In females, alcohol use (11, 33. O%,in groups l-3, P < 0.05) and oral contraceptive use (35. 83, 47’%, P < 0.01) were significantly different between the groups and the highest frequencies were seen in the hyperapoB group (group 2). In both sexessmoking tended to be more common in the hyperapoB group (29, 43, 18%1, P = 0.14). The two hyperapoB definition criteria (high apoB and low LDL-C/apoB ratio) were studied with multiple linear regression analyses. Oral contraceptive use correlated positively with apoB values (coefficient p = 0.101, R ’ = 2.1%. P < 0.01) and negatively with LDL-C/apoB ratio (b = - 0.134, R2 = 3.3’%, P < 0.001). Alcohol use (fl = - 0.072, R’ = 2.9%. P < 0.001) and smoking (p = - 0.050, R’ = l.O%, P < 0.05) correlated negatively with LDL-C/apoB ratio. Prevalence of the hyperapoB phenotype was 4.4%. According to the results, the expression of the hyperapoB phenotype may be influenced by common lifestyle habits. This should be considered if high risk young individuals are identified through the expression of the hyperapoB phenotype. K~,vww&.’ Children; Hyperapobetalipoproteinemia; Lipids: Lipoproteins; Smoking: Alcohol; Oral contraceptives * Corresponding author. Tel.: + 358 21 3337559; fax: + 358 21 2331126. OO2l-9150,‘96~$15.00 G 1996 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved SSDI 0021-9150(95)05751-X