Genetic screening for familial hypercholesterolaemia in
Hong Kong
K Tan1, CL Cheung2, CY Yeung3,
D Siu1, J Leung4, HK Pang5
1 Department of Medicine, The
University of Hong Kong
2 Department of Pharmacology and
Pharmacy, The University of Hong Kong
3 Endocrine and Diabetes Centre,
Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital
4 Department of Medicine, Ruttonjee
Hospital
5 Department of Medicine, Pamela Youde
Nethersole Eastern Hospital
1. Cascade screening of family members of known
index cases is an effective approach to identify new cases of familial
hypercholesterolaemia (FH).
2. Family screening is carried out using a combination of plasma lipid profiling and genetic testing. If the causative mutation is unknown or if genetic testing is unavailable, screening can be performed using plasma lipid profiling alone.
3. Over 90% of the FH subjects with a pre-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of >8 mmol/L had an identifiable genetic cause.
4. Causative mutations in most FH patients were found in the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene.
2. Family screening is carried out using a combination of plasma lipid profiling and genetic testing. If the causative mutation is unknown or if genetic testing is unavailable, screening can be performed using plasma lipid profiling alone.
3. Over 90% of the FH subjects with a pre-treatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level of >8 mmol/L had an identifiable genetic cause.
4. Causative mutations in most FH patients were found in the low-density lipoprotein receptor gene.