Current Pediatric Reviews - Volume 13, Issue 4, 2017

Background: Severe Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG), i.e., plasma triglyceride levels exceeding 1000 mg/dL, is one of the established causes of acute pancreatitis and severe abdominal pain. There are no established pediatric guidelines regarding treatment of children and adolescents with severe HTG. Objective: To review the pathophysiology and etiology of severe HTG in the pediatric age group, and to discuss management optio Read More

LAL-deficiency (LAL-D) is a rare and systemic condition, secondary to LIPA gene mutations, responsible for lysosomal accumulation of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides, whose manifestations are very heterogeneous in terms of the age of onset, severity and the type of clinical and radiological manifestations. Dyslipidemia, hepatomegaly and hepatosteatosis with increased levels of transaminases are the most com Read More

Background: Atherosclerotic disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in adults and is generally thought of as only affecting adults. However, the pathologic changes in vessels leading to atherosclerosis, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, have been shown to begin in early adolescence. Objectives: There is a growing body of literature suggesting that earlier treatment, through lifestyle changes and p Read More

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. While cardiovascular disease typically does not occur until adulthood, the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease starts in early childhood. Objective: The purpose of this review is to describe the evidence that the process of atherosclerosis begins in childhood, as well as identify the risk factors present in childhood that are ass Read More

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a worldwide common autosomal inherited condition associated with premature cardiovascular diseases, both in men and in women (World frequency has been recently estimated to be as high as 1:250). Identifying FH cases early in life could represent a cornerstone to prevent fatal events in adult's life. Pediatricians are well positioned to evaluate the familial cardiovascular risk factors am Read More

Background: The Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) Project is a chronic disease risk factor surveillance, intervention, and research initiative aimed at combating the unacceptably high prevalence of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses in West Virginia. Objectives and Methods: The school-based public health project identifies health risk factors in children, educates families, Read More

Background: Individuals diagnosed with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, often leading to premature morbidity and mortality. As the number of youth developing T1D and T2D continues to grow, early onset predisposes patients to a longer burden of disease and earlier onset of cardiovascular complications. Early identification and effective management and treatment of risk factors can lead Read More