(a) This was a
selective study to know the influence of each disease (IHD, HT, DM) of
the parents (either fathers or mothers) individually on the lipid
profile of their children. That is why parents suffering from more
than one disease entity were not included in this study though it is
well known fact that anyone of these three diseases may result in or
complicate or aggravate each other.
(b) Role of genetic and
environmental factors in causing these diseases is a well known fact.
Significance of lower HDL-c levels in > 14 years aged high risk
children has already been discussed in reply to the letter by Dr.
Locham.
(c) Obese children were
excluded, otherwise it would have been difficult to know the exact
role played by these parental diseases on the lipid profile of their
children. Serum triglyceride of such children did not show any
significant difference as compared to the controls although serum
cholesterol of all high risk children was significantly higher than
controls. It may be due to the reason that riglyceride component of
the total cholesterol is an easily labile component and so can show
lower values in the age group of 5-15 years children busy in many
outdoor as well as indoor activities.
(d) There was no
stastically significant sex difference in the value of any lipid
fraction in the children with parental history of IHD, HT and DM. It
may be due to the reason that it was only a small study and needs
larger studies to know exactly the sex difference if any in lipid
profile of such high risk children.
(e) The reason for this
point has already been given in the para (a) above.
