Abstract

LUBETKIN, Alberto M.; ROBLEDO, Jorge A.; SICCARDI, Leonardo J.  and  RODRIGUEZ, María I.. Prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in the school population of Jovitaa community in the province of Córdoba. Rev. bol. ped. [online]. 2007, vol.46, n.2, pp.123-130. ISSN 1024-0675.

Summary Introduction. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the main risk factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases and it can be detected since early ages. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in the school population of Jovitaa community in the province of Córdoba. To compare data of 2003 with those of 1997. Population, material and methods. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. On April 2003, blood cholesterol was measured in 1,050 students by finger-stick, in non-fasting conditions, by means of a reflectometer; total population was of 1,177 students aged 5 to 17 years old. The prevalence found was compared with the results obtained in a similar study conducted on 756 students from a total population of 996 students, performed in 1997. Two-sample z test and chi-square test were used. Results. In 2003, the prevalence of cholesterolemia values higher than 170 mg/dl was of 39.2% vs. 15.7% in 1997. In a sub-sample of 188 subjects examined in both studies, a significant increase in mean cholesterolemia values was observed in 2003 when they were compared with those values obtained in 1997 (11.9%; p< 0,01). The comparison of the sub-pupulation of hypercholesterolemic subjects, divided in children (5-11 years old) and adolescents (12-17 years old), in both stages, showed a major increase in the group of children (2.9 vs. 2.0). Conclusion. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia observed in 2003 in the school population aged 5 to 17 years in Jovita was of 39.2%, which represents a significant increase with regards to the prevalence of 15.7% reported in 1997.

Keywords : cardiovascular diseases; hypercholesterolemia; children; adolescents.

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