ACG SmartBrief is an official publication of the ACG.

Study: Infant stomach obstruction could be linked to cholesterol levels

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis may be linked to low cholesterol levels, according to a genetic study from the Statens Serum Institut in Copenhagen that found the locus associated with the condition is 301 base pairs away from the gene encoding an important protein found in high-density lipoprotein. Experts said the data provide important insight into the condition, which occurs in one to three cases per 1,000 live Western births. “[IHPS] is thought to result from both genetic and environmental factors. There is well-known increased risk in families of affected infants,” said Dr. Barbara Kaplan. Medscape .