Determinants of ApoB, ApoA1, and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio in healthy schoolgirls, prospectively studied from mean ages 10 to 19 years: the Cincinnati National Growth and Health Study

Abstract

The objectives were to prospectively assess determinants of apolipoproteins B (ApoB), A1 (ApoA1), and the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio in 797 healthy black and white schoolgirls from mean ages 10 to 19. There was prospective 9-year follow-up, with measures of ApoB at mean ages 10, 12, 14,16 and 19, ApoA1at mean ages 12, 14, 16, and 19, and assessment of annual reports of delayed menstrual cyclicity (≥42 days) from ages 14 to 19. Studies of 402 black and 395 white healthy schoolgirls were done in public and private schools, in urban and suburban Cincinnati. Black girls had lower ApoB, higher ApoA1, and lower ApoB/ApoA1. SHBG at age 14 in white and black girls was inversely correlated with the ApoB/ApoA1. At age 19, ≥3 annual reports of menstrual delay ≥42 days and metabolic syndrome were associated with higher ApoB and a higher ApoB/ApoA1 ratio. From ages 14 to 19, BMI and TG were independently positively associated with ApoB. Menstrual cyclicity ≥42 days, metabolic syndrome, BMI, and TG were independently positively associated with ApoB/ApoA1 ratios, while black race was negatively associated. The atherogenic ApoB/ApoA1 ratio from ages 14 to 19 is lower in black girls, and positively associated with hyperandrogenism, menstrual cyclicity ≥42 days, BMI, TG, and the metabolic syndrome, facilitating an adolescent approach to primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Towards early risk biomarkers: serum metabolic signature in childhood predicts cardio-metabolic risk in adulthood

“…ApoB is the main protein in VLDL and LDL (atherogenic) particles, while ApoA1 is the main protein in HDL (anti-atherogenic) particles. This result is supported by an earlier 9-year follow-up study in school girls from childhood to adulthood, demonstrating that ApoB/ApoA1 ratio was associated with metabolic syndrome and it’s components 23 . In another prospective study, Juonala et al reported that ApoB and ApoA1 levels and their ratio in adolescence were associated with carotid artery intima-media thickness and brachial artery flow-mediated dilation in adulthood 24 .…”

Association between serum cholesterol and eating behaviours during early childhood: a cross-sectional study

“…12 In addition, apolipoprotein B is known to be correlated with cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents. 24 …”

Increased apolipoprotein-B:A1 ratio predicts cardiometabolic risk in patients with juvenile onset SLE

“…We identified a cut-point value for ApoB:ApoA1 ratio of 0.45 that could have clinical utility in JSLE. However, ApoB:ApoA1 ratio is age dependent so further validation of age specific cut points is needed [ 37 , 52 , 53 ]. Differences in published ratios could be accounted for by different technologies used to assess ApoB and ApoA1 levels (mainly colorimetry-based compared to NMR used here) and the fasting status of the study participants (our study was performed on non-fasting patients).…”