%0 Journal Article
%T Influence of Oral Contraceptives on Lipid Profile and Trajectories in Healthy Adolescents-Data From the EVA-Tyrol Study.
%A Staudt A
%A Kiechl SJ
%A Gande N
%A Hochmayr C
%A Bernar B
%A Stock K
%A Geiger R
%A Egger A
%A Griesmacher A
%A Knoflach M
%A Kiechl-Kohlendorfer U
%A
%J J Adolesc Health
%V 75
%N 3
%D 2024 Sep 10
%M 39001754
%F 7.83
%R 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.04.017
%X OBJECTIVE: Oral contraception is one of the most popular contraceptive methods both in adults and adolescents. However, the effects of oral contraception on lipids in adolescents are not well studied.
METHODS: Lipid profiles were measured and contraceptive use was assessed in 14- to 19-year-old female participants of the prospective population-based Early Vascular Ageing-Tyrol Study between 2015 and 2018, twice on average 22 months apart.
RESULTS: For this analysis, data from 828 young women with a median age of 17.0 years were available. Of them, 317 (38%) used oral contraceptives (OCs). OC users had a slightly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure and larger changes over time and were more likely to use cigarettes than nonusers. Total cholesterol (179.6 vs. 162.4 mg/dL), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (106.4 vs. 94.6 mg/dL), and triglycerides (104.0 vs. 67.0 mg/dL) were significantly higher in OC users after multivariable adjustment in linear regression models. No difference in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol between the two groups was found. In 558 females, follow-up data were available. Those who initiated OC use had on average 15.4 mg/dL higher low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and 36.2 mg/dL higher triglyceride level changes between baseline and follow-up than never users. Duration of OC use did not show a significant association with lipid levels and changes.
CONCLUSIONS: We showed an independent association between OC use and blood lipids as well as lipid trajectories over time in a large cohort of healthy adolescents. These changes are especially relevant to consider in adolescents with other risk factors for dyslipidemia or other cardiovascular risk factors.