Birth Weight, Cord Blood Lipoprotein and Apolipoprotein Levels in Indian Newborns

Objectives: Primordial prevention of chronic disease is of clinical andpublic health importance. Considering the fetal onset of atherosclerosis,we aimed to determine the cord blood level of lipoproteins andapolipoproteins as well as their correlation with birth weight and gestationalage.Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 100 healthy Indiannewborns. Ten ml. of cord blood was collected from placental end ofumbilical vein. Serum was separated by centrifugation and analyzed onthe same day for lipid profile including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides(TG), high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C), very lowdensity lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL) and low density lipoproteincholesterol(LDL-C), apolipoproteins A-I and B (ApoA-I, ApoB).Atherogenic index (AI) was calculated as the ratio of ApoB to ApoA-I.Results: Cord blood of female newborns had higher TC, HDL-C,LDL-C, Apo A-I, Apo B and AI as compared to male newborns,whereas TG and VLDL-C were higher in male than in female newborns.Significant positive correlation was observed between cordblood Apo A-I and HDL-C (r= 0.45, p<0.01), and between cord bloodApo-B and LDL-C (r= 0.44, p<0.01). Non-significant inverse correlationwas observed between Apo A-I and ApoB with gestational age.There was a significant inverse correlation between TG and gestationalage (r= –0.197, p <0.05). Positive non-significant correlation was observedbetween AI and birth weight (r=0.046, p>0.05).Conclusions: These findings are another confirmatory evidence forthe association of prenatal factors with cord blood lipid profile, andcan serve as starting point for studying lipid transport system changesduring early life.