Impact of Seasonality on the Prevalence of Dyslipidemia: A Large Population Study

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Assessment of lipid profile parameters has been considered a cornerstone in classifying individuals and populations at risk for cardiovascular disease. Recently, however, preliminary data have raised the possibility of seasonal variations in these parameters, which may cause under- or overestimation. Biological rhythms and seasonal variation of lipid profile was investigated in 227 359 consecutive individuals who underwent health checkups in primary care centers between 2008 and 2010. Plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) >130 mg/dL was 8% more prevalent during winter than summer, with a larger difference among women and middle-aged adults (p150 mg/dL were respectively 9% and 5% more prevalent during the summer (p