Plasma atherogenicity index (AIP) as a predictor of cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents Nilton Rosini, Marcos José Machado, Edson Luiz da Silva, Caroline Simões Teixeira Perrela, Hermes Toros Xavier

Abstract

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and healthcare worldwide. Early detection of cardiovascular risk in childhood is the most powerful tool to prevent cardiovascular events in adulthood and possibly reduce its consequent burden for the future. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), which was introduced by Dobiásová and Frohlich, is a biomarker associated with cardiovascular diseases, calculated as log10 (TG/HDL-C).

Aim: To evaluate the association between AIP and cardiometabolic risk factors in a sample of children and adolescents.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 1011 children aged 9.89 ± 2.2 years (530 women). A fasting blood sample was obtained to measure total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, glucose, and insulin. LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, HOMA and AIP were calculated. Risk categories according to AIP for the pediatric population were also determined (low: AIP ≤0.10; high: AIP >0.10).

Results: 871 children had an AIP ≤ 0.10, while 140 children had an AIP >0.10. In the group with AIP >0.10 the frequency of a unfavorable glycemic, lipidic and inflammatory profiles was significantly higher compared with the group AIP ≤0.10. The later conditions had also higher CT/cHDL, cLDL/cHDL and AIP. All variables studied were significantly correlated with the AIP.

Conclusion: The AIP was associated with an increase of the main cardiometabolic risk factors in children and adolescents, setting up an important early predictor of the risk of cardiovascular disease.