Influence of Oral Contraceptives on Lipid Profile and Trajectories in Healthy Adolescents—Data From the EVA-Tyrol Study

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health 2024-09, Vol.75 (3), p.479-486
• Main Authors: Staudt, Anna, Kiechl, Sophia J., Gande, Nina, Hochmayr, Christoph, Bernar, Benoît, Stock, Katharina, Geiger, Ralf, Egger, Alexander, Griesmacher, Andrea, Knoflach, Michael, Kiechl-Kohlendorfer, Ursula, Reiter, Carmen, Schreiner, Christina, Klingenschmid, Julia, Marxer, Julia, Asare, Mandy, Bock-Bartl, Manuela, Winder, Bernhard, Kothmayer, Martina, Bohl, Maximilian, Pircher, Maximilian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Cardiovascular disease; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Contraceptive agents; Contraceptives, Oral - administration & dosage; Female; Humans; Lipids - blood; Prospective Studies; Triglycerides; Triglycerides - blood; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.04.017

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. 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. 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. 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.