Lipoprotein and apolipoprotein differences in black and white girls. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study
D. L. Sprecher, J. A. Morrison, L. A. Simbartl, G. B. Schreiber, Z. I. Sabry, F. M. Biro and B. A. Barton
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To define racial differences in lipoprotein and apolipoprotein
levels in girls aged 9 to 10 years. DESIGN: Baseline analysis of a
prospective cohort study. SETTING: Three clinical sites. SUBJECTS: A total
of 1871 black and white girls, aged 9 to 10 years, with complete maturation
data (pubic hair and areolar development and menarche) and an 8-hour fast
before blood draw. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Anthropometric measures and serum
lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein levels. RESULTS: All analyses were
adjusted for maturational differences between blacks and whites (areolar or
pubic hair development and menarche). The mean body mass index was
marginally higher in black girls than in white girls (18.9 vs 18.3 kg/m2; P
= .002), while the sum of skinfolds (34.5 vs 34.8 mm; P = .77) was
equivalent. However, both body mass measures were skewed higher at the
upper percentiles in black girls. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
level was similar between black and white girls. Mean triglyceride values
were higher in white girls than in black girls (0.92 vs 0.79 mmol/L [81 vs
70 mg/dL]; P < .001); however, these differences were most pronounced in
the upper percentiles. Conversely, mean high-density lipoprotein
cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I levels were higher in black girls than
in white girls (1.44 vs 1.37 mmol/L [56 vs 39 mg/dL] and 147 vs 138 mg/dL,
respectively; both P < .001); and again the differences were most
evident at the upper end of the distributions. CONCLUSIONS: Racial
differences in the mean levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein
cholesterol, and body mass in girls in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute Growth and Health Study (NGHS) at age 9 to 10 years were
predominantly the result of differences observed at the upper end of the
distributions. The reported black-white differences for mean high-density
and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels in adult
women are comparable to NGHS results. Distributional characteristics of
these risk factors as well as trends in lipids, lipoproteins, and
apolipoproteins, will be evaluated in an ongoing longitudinal assessment
that covers the full maturational period.