Pediatric Lipid Screening and Treatment in Canada: Practices, Attitudes, and Barriers

Abstract

The pediatric lipid screening and treatment practices, attitudes, and perceived barriers of Canadian pediatricians are not known. We sought to evaluate this in a survey of pediatricians through the Canadian Pediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) in March 2019. The survey included an assessment of lipid screening of 9- to 11-year-old youth and a hypothetical case of persistent severe dyslipidemia to ascertain management practices. There were 759 respondents (28% response rate, 759 of 2742), of whom 236 provided outpatient primary care to 9- to 11-year-old youth as part of their routine clinical practice. Among primary care-providing pediatricians, universal lipid screening of healthy 9- to 11-year-old youth most or all of the time was reported by 3% (8 of 230). Reported screening practices most or all of the time were more common for youth with risk factors such as overweight and obesity (54%, 127 of 235) and a family history of premature cardiovascular disease (39%, 85 of 217). Most respondents would refer a child with severe persistent dyslipidemia to dieticians (69%, 152 of 220) and a lipid specialist (64%, 144 of 220) most or all of the time, whereas 7% (16 of 220) would start statin therapy themselves. A lack of Canadian pediatric lipid guidelines was reported as a major barrier for 49% (114 of 233) and minor barrier for 40% (93 of 213). The rate of routine lipid screening of healthy 9- to 11-year-old youth among Canadian primary care-providing pediatricians is low and at odds with current US guidelines. This discrepancy may be due at least in part to a lack of Canadian guidelines on pediatric dyslipidemia, the development of which may address certain perceived barriers and influence future attitudes.