Purpose

To systematically review evidence for the effectiveness and harms of screening and treatment of pediatric dyslipidemia due to FH and multifactorial dyslipidemia.

Contents

• Structured Abstract
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1. Introduction
  • Purpose
  • Condition Background
• Chapter 2. Methods
  • Scope and Purpose
  • Analytic Framework and Key Questions
  • Data Sources and Searches
  • Study Selection
  • Quality Assessment
  • Data Abstraction
  • Data Synthesis and Analysis
  • Grading the Strength of the Body of Evidence
  • Contextual Questions
  • Expert Review and Public Comment
  • USPSTF and AHRQ Involvement
• Chapter 3. Results
  • Description of Included Studies
  • KQ1. Does Screening for FH or Multifactorial Dyslipidemia in Asymptomatic Children and Adolescents Delay or Reduce the Incidence of Health Outcomes (e.g., CVD Events or Mortality) or Improve Intermediate Outcomes (e.g., Serum Lipid Levels and Atherosclerotic Markers) in Children, Adolescents, or Adults?
  • KQ2. What Is the Diagnostic Yield of Serum Lipid Screening for FH or Multifactorial Dyslipidemia in Children and Adolescents?
  • KQ3. What Are the Harms of Screening for FH or Multifactorial Dyslipidemia in Children and Adolescents?
  • KQ4. Does Treatment of FH or Multifactorial Dyslipidemia With Behavioral Interventions, Lipid-Lowering Medications, or Both in Children and Adolescents Delay or Reduce the Incidence of Health Outcomes (e.g., CVD Events or Mortality) or Improve Intermediate Outcomes (e.g., Serum Lipid Levels and Atherosclerotic Markers) in Children, Adults, or Both?
  • KQ5. What Are the Harms of Treatment of FH or Multifactorial Dyslipidemia in Children and Adolescents?
• Chapter 4. Discussion
  • Summary of Evidence
  • Single Screening Test Identifies Distinct Conditions
  • Indirect Linkages From Child Lipid Levels to Adult Health Outcomes
  • Age to Initiate Statins in FH
  • Other Potential Benefits of Pediatric Lipid Screening
  • Limitations of Our Approach
  • Limitations of the Studies and Future Research Needs
  • Conclusions
• References
• Appendixes
  • Appendix A. Detailed Methods and Background
  • Appendix B. Literature Flow
  • Appendix C. Included Studies List
  • Appendix D. Excluded Studies List
  • Appendix E. Additional Evidence Tables
  • Appendix F. Ongoing Studies
  • Appendix References

Suggested citation:

Guirguis-Blake JM, Evans CV, Coppola EL, Redmond N, Perdue LA. Screening for Lipid Disorders in Children and Adolescents: An Evidence Update for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Evidence Synthesis No. 229. AHRQ Publication No. 22-05301-EF-1; Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2023.

This report is based on research conducted by the Kaiser Permanente Research Affiliates Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC) under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. 75Q80120D00004). The findings and conclusions in this document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The information in this report is intended to help healthcare decision makers—patients and clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers, among others—make well-informed decisions and thereby improve the quality of healthcare services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision of clinical care should consider this report in the same way as any medical reference and in conjunction with all other pertinent information (i.e., in the context of available resources and circumstances presented by individual patients).

This report may be used, in whole or in part, as the basis for development of clinical practice guidelines and other quality enhancement tools, or as a basis for reimbursement and coverage policies. AHRQ or U.S. Department of Health and Human Services endorsement of such derivative products may not be stated or implied.