The impact of obesity on cardiovascular risk factors in Turner's syndrome

OBJECTIVE To evaluate risk factors for coronary artery disease in women with Turner's syndrome which may contribute to the increased incidence of premature cardiovascular death noted in this disorder. DESIGN Comparison of clinical and biochemical parameters in women with Turner's syndrome with those in women with normal karyotype. PATIENTS Ninety-one women with Turner's syndrome attending a dedicated adult Turner's syndrome clinic and 22 control subjects were studied. MEASUREMENTS Recumbent blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), fasting total cholesterol, triglycerides and high density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured in both study groups. RESULTS Women with Turner's syndrome were more obese compared with women with a normal karyotype. They were more likely to be hypertensive and the obese patients had higher serum triglyceride concentrations. Hypertension was independent of obesity and may be under-recognized because of failure to compare with age-matched normal ranges, Lipoprotein changes were accounted for by the obesity. CONCLUSIONS Women with Turner's syndrome may be at increased risk of developing coronary artery disease as a result of the higher frequency of hypertension and obesity, Routine screening of this population for risk factors for ischaemic heart disease is recommended.