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Background: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) predisposes to premature cardiovascular diseases. Since 2015, the European Atherosclerosis Society has advocated initiation of statins at 8-10 years of age and a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) target of <135 mg/dL. Longitudinal data from large databases on pharmacological management of pediatric HeFH are lacking., Objective: Here, we describe treatment patterns and LDL-C goal attainment in pediatric HeFH using longitudinal real-world data., Methods: This was a retrospective and prospective multicenter cohort study (2015-2021) of children with HeFH, diagnosed genetically or clinically, aged <18 years, and followed up in the National French Registry of FH (REFERCHOL). Data on the study population as well as treatment patterns and outcomes are summarized as mean±SD., Results: We analyzed the data of 674 HeFH children (age at last visit: 13.1 ± 3.6 years; 82.0 % ≥10 years; 52.5 % females) who were followed up for a mean of 2.8 ± 3.5 years. Initiation of lipid-lowering therapy was on average at 11.8 ± 3.0 years of age for a duration of 2.5 ± 2.8 years. At the last visit, among patients eligible for treatment (573), 36 % were not treated, 57.1 % received statins alone, 6.4 % statins with ezetimibe, and 0.2 % ezetimibe alone. LDL-C was 266±51 mg/dL before treatment and 147±54 mg/dL at the last visit (-44.7 %) in treated patients. Regarding statins, 3.3 %, 65.1 %, and 31.6 % of patients received high-, moderate-, and low-intensity statins, respectively. Overall, 59 % of children on statin therapy alone and 35.1 % on bitherapy did not achieve the LDL-C goal; fewer patients in the older age group did not reach the treatment goal., Conclusion: Pediatric patients with FH followed up in specialist lipid clinics in France receive late treatment, undertreatment, or suboptimal treatment and half of them do not reach the therapeutic LDL-C goal. Finding a more efficient framework for linking scientific evidence to clinical practice is needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest • NP has received honoraria from ADEN-ALLP, Alexion AMGEN, Amryt, Biocodex, Elsevier, Kowa, Lactalis, Nestlé NHS, NHC, Nutricia-Danone, Orphan Europ, Sanofi, Shire, Ultragenyx • PT has participated in one scientific committee at Ultragenyx laboratories • YP has received honoraria from Servier, Viatris, AMGEN, Sanofi, Bouchara-Recordati • JPR has received remuneration from Sanofi, Ultragenyx • EB has received honoraria from AstraZeneca, AMGEN, MSD, Sanofi and Regeneron, Aegerion/Amryt, Lilly, Ionis-pharmaceuticals, Akcea, Alexion pharma, Servier, Novartis, Mylan/Viatris, Organon and Genfit • AG reports grants and personal fees from AMGEN, Sanofi, Regeneron, Mylan Viatris, MSD, Akcea Therapeutics, Amryt and Ultragenyx. • SB has received honoraria for board, conferences, clinical trial or congress from Aegerion, Akcea, Elivie, Novartis, Sanofi or AMGEN • PP, LR, AV, RR have no conflict of interest related to this article., (Copyright © 2024 French Society of Pediatrics. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Familial hypobetalipoproteinemias (FHBL) are rare genetic diseases characterized by lipid malabsorption. We focused on abetalipoproteinemia (FHBL-SD1) and chylomicron retention disease (FHBL-SD3), caused by mutations in microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTTP) and SAR1B genes, respectively. Treatments include a low-fat diet and high-dose fat-soluble vitamin supplementations. However, patients are not supplemented in carotenoids, a group of lipid-soluble pigments essential for eye health., Objective: Our aim was to evaluate carotenoid absorption and status in the context of hypobetalipoproteinemia., Methods: We first used knock-out Caco-2/TC7 cell models of FHBL-SD1 and FHBL-SD3 to evaluate carotenoid absorption. We then characterized FHBL-SD1 and FHBL-SD3 patient status in the main dietary carotenoids and compared it to that of control subjects., Results: In vitro results showed a significant decrease in basolateral secretion of α- and β-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin (-88.8 ± 2.2 % to -95.3 ± 5.8 %, -79.2 ± 4.4 % to -96.1 ± 2.6 %, -91.0 ± 4.5 % to -96.7 ± 0.3 % and -65.4 ± 3.6 % to -96.6 ± 1.9 %, respectively). Carotenoids plasma levels in patients confirmed significant deficiencies, with decreases ranging from -89 % for zeaxanthin to -98 % for α-carotene, compared to control subjects., Conclusion: Given the continuous loss in visual function despite fat-soluble vitamin treatment in some patients, carotenoid supplementation may be of clinical utility. Future studies should assess the correlation between carotenoid status and visual function in aging patients and investigate whether carotenoid supplementation could prevent their visual impairment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)