Description of a large pedigree with an adverse lipoprotein cholesterol phenotype: The Bogalusa Heart Study

A large pedigree (N = 356) with a high prevalence of heart disease and associated adverse lipoprotein phenotype was studied. The adverse lipoprotein phenotype is characterized by both low levels of high‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) alone (16.3%) and in combination with other adverse lipoprotein levels (12.8%). In all, 44.2% of all pedigree members had at least one adverse lipoprotein level. Analysis of mating types showed that all lipids and lipoproteins possess familial clustering with 25–36% of offspring above median levels when both parents had levels below the median, while 67–83% had levels above the median when both parents had levels above the median. Using adjusted lipid and lipoprotein levels, a statistically significant linear trend was found between the degree of relationship to pedigree members with heart disease, and both the low‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol/high‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C/HDL‐C) ratio (P < .05), and the very‐low‐density‐lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL‐C; P < .01) level. A similar analysis using the prevalence of adverse lipoprotein levels as the dependent variable and degree of relationship to heart diseased pedigree numbers as the independent variable showed significant (P < .05) relationships with VLDL‐C and the LDL‐C/HDL‐C ratio. Further genetic analyses of this pedigree may reveal genetic mechanisms responsible for the familiality of lipoprotein levels in this pedigree.