Author(s):
Peres, Maria ; Moreira-Rosário, André ; Padeira, Gonçalo ; Gaspar Silva, Patrícia ; Correia, Carla ; Nunes, Andreia ; Garcia, Elisabete ; Faria, Ana ; Teixeira, Diana ; Calhau, Conceição ; Pereira-da-Silva, Luís ; Ferreira, Ana Cristina ; Rocha, Júlio César
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10362/170171
Origin: Repositório Institucional da UNL
Subject(s): anthropometry; COVID-19; familial hypercholesterolemia; LDL cholesterol; Food Science; Nutrition and Dietetics; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Description
Funding Information: CINTESIS\u2014UIDB/04255/2020 and UIDP/04255/2020, a program financially supported by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e Tecnologia/Minist\u00E9rio da Ci\u00EAncia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, through national funds is acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.
The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns affected the lifestyles of children and adolescents, leading to an increase in childhood obesity. Paediatric patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) may be more susceptible to lockdown effects due to their increased cardiovascular risk. However, data are lacking. We investigated the effect of lockdowns on the metabolic profile of paediatric patients with FH. Blood lipids and anthropometry measured in September 2021–April 2022 were retrospectively compared with pre-pandemic values. Thirty participants were included (1–16 years; 57% female). From baseline to post-pandemic, median [P25, P75] blood LDL-C concentration was 125 [112, 150] mg/dL vs. 125 [100, 147] mg/dL (p = 0.894); HDL-C was 58 [52, 65] mg/dL vs. 56 [51, 61] mg/dL (p = 0.107); triglycerides were 64 [44, 86] mg/dL vs. 59 [42, 86] mg/dL (p = 0.178). The BMI z-score did not change significantly (0.19 [−0.58, 0.89] vs. 0.30 [−0.48, 1.10], p = 0.524). The lack of deterioration in metabolic profiles during lockdowns is positive, as some deterioration was expected. We speculate that patients and caregivers were successfully educated about healthy lifestyle and dietary habits. Our results should be interpreted with caution since the study sample was small and heterogeneous. Multicentre research is needed to better understand the impact of lockdowns on this population.
