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. 2016 Aug;59(8):1666-74.
doi: 10.1007/s00125-016-3988-2. Epub 2016 May 30.

Family history of myocardial infarction, stroke and diabetes and cardiometabolic markers in children

Nina E Berentzen  1   2 , Alet H Wijga  3 , Lenie van Rossem  2 , Gerard H Koppelman  4 , Bo van Nieuwenhuizen  1 , Ulrike Gehring  5 , Annemieke M W Spijkerman  1 , Henriëtte A Smit  2
Affiliations

Family history of myocardial infarction, stroke and diabetes and cardiometabolic markers in children

Nina E Berentzen et al. Diabetologia. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

Aims/hypothesis: Despite the overlap in occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes and their risk factors, family history of these diseases has not yet been investigated simultaneously in relation to cardiometabolic markers in offspring. We examined how a family history of CVD and/or diabetes relates to cardiometabolic markers in offspring, and to what extent these diseases independently contribute to cardiometabolic markers.

Methods: We used data from 1,374 12-year-old children and their parents participating in a birth cohort study in the Netherlands. Family history of CVD (myocardial infarction [MI] and stroke) and diabetes were reported by the parents. Children were classified as 'no', 'moderate' or 'strong' family history, based on early/late onset of disease in parents and grandparents. Cardiometabolic markers were measured at 12 years of age: waist circumference, cholesterol, blood pressure and HbA1c.

Results: Compared with those with no family history, children with a strong family history of MI and/or stroke and/or diabetes (29% of the study population) had 0.13 mmol/l higher total cholesterol (TC) (95% CI 0.03, 0.23) and 0.18 higher TC/HDL-cholesterol (HDLC) ratio (95% CI 0.04, 0.32). A strong family history of MI or diabetes was independently associated with unfavourable cardiometabolic markers specific to those diseases. These associations remained after adjusting for BMI. Children with a moderate family history had no unfavourable cardiometabolic markers.

Conclusions/interpretation: One-third of the children had a strong family history of CVD and/or diabetes. These children had higher TC levels and TC/HDLC ratios than children with no family history. A strong family history of MI or diabetes was independently associated with unfavourable cardiometabolic markers specific to those diseases.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Diabetes; Family history; Paediatrics.

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