Comparison of non-HDL-cholesterol versus triglycerides-to-HDL-cholesterol ratio in relation to cardiometabolic risk factors and preclinical organ damage in overweight/obese children: The CARITALY study

•New research has focused on lipid indexes to estimate atherosclerotic risk in children.•Non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C) or triglyceride (Tg)/HDL-C ratio are proposed as markers of cardiovascular risk.•Tg/HDL-C is better related with cardiovascular risk or preclinical signs of organ damage than non-HDL-C.

Background and aimsLipid ratios to estimate atherosclerotic disease risk in overweight/obese children are receiving great attention. We aimed to compare the performance of non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) versus triglycerides-to-HDL-C ratio (Tg/HDL-C) in identifying cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) or preclinical signs of organ damage in outpatient Italian overweight/obese children.Methods and resultsIn this retrospective, cross-sectional study, 5505 children (age 5–18 years) were recruited from 10 Italian centers for the care of obesity, of which 4417 (78%) showed obesity or morbid obesity. Anthropometric, biochemical, and blood pressure variables were analyzed in all children. Liver ultrasound scan, carotid artery ultrasound, and echocardiography were performed in 1257, 601, and 252 children, respectively. The entire cohort was divided based on the 75th percentile of non-HDL-C (≥130 mg/dl) or Tg/HDL-C ratio (≥2.2). The odds ratio for insulin resistance, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, presence of liver steatosis, increased levels of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (cLVH) was higher in children with high levels of Tg/HDL-C with respect to children with high levels of non-HDL-C.ConclusionsIn an outpatient setting of overweight/obese children, Tg/HDL-C ratio discriminated better than non-HDL-C children with CMRFs or preclinical signs of liver steatosis, and increased cIMT and cLVH.