Familial hypercholesterolaemia: the Cape Town experience
Journal Article
2008
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Authors
Journal Title
South African Medical Journal
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Health and Medical Publishing Group
Publisher
University of Cape Town
Department
Faculty
Series
Abstract
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH), an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder characterised by elevated plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, tendon xanthomata and premature ischaemic heart disease, is amenable to treatment with modern medication. The clinical and biochemical details of 1 031 patients with FH were analysed. FH is the most common monogenic disorder of lipoprotein metabolism presenting to the Lipid Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital, accounting for about 20% of consultations. The hospital classified 55% of the FH patients as white, 43% as coloured, 1.5% as Asian and 0.5% as black. In the FH cohort (whose mean age at presentation was 44 years), 80% had tendon xanthomata, 36% had arcus cornealis, and 14% had xanthelasma. Tendon xanthomata was present in almost 90% of patients by the age of 50 years. Arcus cornealis was present in about 45% by the age of 40 years, further increasing in frequency with age. Cardiovascular complications included ischaemic heart disease (43%), stroke (1.5%), transient ischaemic attacks (1.3%), and peripheral vascular disease (3.7%). The mean age of death was 55 (+13) years; 51 (+10) years in men and 61 (+12) years in women. In 46% of the cohort, a defective gene was identified by testing for locally prevalent mutations.
Description
Reference:
Firth, J. C., & Marais, A. D. (2008). Familial hypercholesterolaemia: the Cape Town experience: original article. South African Medical Journal, 98(2), 99-104.