Evaluation of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins concentrations in cord blood serum of newborns from rural and urban environments.

The purpose of the present study was to check the influence of rural and urban environments on some of the parameters of lipids metabolism in the cord blood serum in healthy newborns, as well as the evaluation of the concentration of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in the cord blood serum with relation to risk factors of atherosclerosis in the family of the studied newborns. The study included 75 newborns (37 from rural areas and 38 from urban areas). Newborns weight and length were recorded at birth. On the basis of the family history taken from the mothers, the atherosclerosis risk factors were established in the families of the studied newborns. In all of the studied newborns, concentration of triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, VLDL and HDL cholesterol as well as of apolipoproteins (apo-Al, apo-B) in the cord blood serum sampled soon after birth were performed. No statistically significant differences between the mean levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and cholesterol of fractions: LDL, VLDL, HDL and apolipoproteins (apo-AI, apo-B) in the cord blood serum in the newborns from rural and urban areas were found. However, when analysing the concentration of parameters of lipid metabolism in cord blood serum in newborns with regard to gender, higher concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apo-AI in female newborns from rural areas, and higher HDL cholesterol and apo-AI in female newborns from urban regions were confirmed. When analysing the concentration of lipids and lipoproteins in cord blood serum in newborns from families with risk factors confirmed as compared to the families without that risk, both in the rural and urban regions no significant differences were confirmed. The studies have not proved any significant differences between the levels of lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in the cord blood serum in newborns from rural and urban areas.