Changes in Serum Lipoprotein Profiles During Puberty — A Longitudinal Study of Dresden Schoolchildren

Abstract

The typical sex-difference in the lipoprotein profile between females and males aging 20–45 years is characterized by higher TC (*), LDL-C, and Apo B, lower HDL-C, Apo Al, HDL-2C and HDL-3C in males, whereas no statistically proved differences in regard to serum concentrations of Apo All, D, E could be observed in our and other studies [1, 5], It is commonly supposed that these differences are the result of sexual maturation. With respect to the sex-difference of HDL variables it could be demonstrated in several studies that in the course of sexual maturation the HDL-C level decreases in boys, whereas no or only small changes could be found in girls [4, 11, 12]. On the other hand the TC, LDL-C and Apo B serum concentrations show very untypical sex-differences immediately after puberty. In contrast to the common assumption these variables are higher in females than in males between the age of 16 and the beginning of the twenties [2,8, 9]. In both sexes these variables increase after puberty. Because the sexual maturation in girls is finished 1–2 years earlier than in males the unexpected sex-difference could be the result of that age difference in sexual maturation at least in part.