Inflammatory Profiles of Children at High Risk for Atherosclerosis

Family history is a well known risk factor for early atherosclerosis. Whether inflammation plays a role in the increased risk of family history is not known. In this prospective single-center study, we are recruiting children with and without a family history of premature atherosclerotic disease, defined as occurring \< 55 years in males and \<65 years in females. Children are recruited primarily from a pediatric preventive cardiology clinic at Children's Hospital Boston. We measure anthropomorphic characteristics, fasting lipid profiles and inflammatory marker levels, including high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), P-selectin, and tumor necrosis factor alpha receptor 2 (TNFαR2). In this sample of high-risk overweight children, Lp(a) and inflammatory markers could reflect cardiovascular risk outside lipid profiles.