Coronary Atherosclerotic Risk Factors in School Children of Kocaeli City Center - Original Article

Abstract
Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in school children between 6-15 years.
Methods: 548 children enrolled in the study. Total serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels of 228 children were analyzed.
Results: In our study 9.1% of children were overweight, 4.2% had obesity. When systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the study group were evaluated for age and sex, 6,9% had only systolic, 3.35% had diastolic while 2.16% of this children had both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 12.2% of the study group was high blood pressure. High systolic blood pressure was detected in 26.1% and high diastolic blood pressure in 39.1% of children with obesity. When hyperlipidemia is evaluated as a risk factor for high blood pressure, it is found that there was no correlation between hypercholesterolemia and high blood pressure whereas 22.5% of the children with serum triglyceride values above 95th percentile had high systolic blood pressure. Exposure to cigarette smoking, physical activity and socioeconomic status were found as factors having significant correlation with serum lipid levels of children.
Conclusion: As a conclusion we suggest that besides family history for coronary atherosclerosis, lack of physical activity, obesity, hyperlipidemia, high blood pressure were risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis. We think that more selective screening programs are required for determining risk factors and prevention of coronary atherosclerosis.