Effect of Dietary Treatment on Growth and plasma IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 Levels of Children with Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Background/Objective: This study aims to determine the effects of dietary treatment on growth and the biochemical markers of growth in children with primary familial hypercholesterolemia. Subjects/Methods: The study was conducted with 30 children aged 5-10 years diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia at Cukurova University Hospital. Sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits of patients were queried, and anthropometric measurements were taken. Specific dietary treatments were arranged, detailed dietary education was provided, and monthly follow-ups were conducted. At the beginning and in the end of the study, 3-days (24-hour) food consumption records were collected, and biochemical parameters were recorded. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-Short Form) was used to assess the general physical activity levels of the patients. Results: It was found that 53.3% of the patients were female, and 46.7% were male. The average age of patients was 92.93±19.89 months. A moderate negative relationship was observed between the 6 ^th month IGFBP-3 Z-scores and BMI Z-scores (r=-0.460). A moderate negative relationship was found between the initial IGF-1 Z-scores and the percentage of consumed dietary carbohydrates (r=-0.417). When the change in protein intake was examined, a moderate positive relationship was observed between Delta (∆) total protein and Delta (∆) animal protein, Delta (∆) plant protein, and Delta (∆) IGF-1 values (r=0.693; r=0.392; r=0.356, respectively). Conclusion: To ensure adequate growth in children diagnosed with primary familial hypercholesterolemia, the amount and the content of protein together with the percentage of daily carbohydrate consumption should be considered in dietary treatment planning. Compliance with the diet should be closely monitored through food consumption records, and adherence to physical activity recommendations should be encouraged.