Hypertriglyceridemia and Atherosclerosis Analysis of an Abnormal Lipoprotein System and Potential Beneficial Effects of Triglyceride Lowering Therapy

Hypertriglyceridemia is the most common form of lipid transport disorders. In spite of insufficient markers for accurate diagnosis, hypertriglyceridemic states can be divided by several criteria. For example, high plasma triglyceride levels are often found in humans with a variety of diseases, and in such subjects the hypertriglyceridemic state reflects the status of the underlying disease. Diabetes mellitus, nephrotic syndrome, various forms of renal diseases (including hemodialysis and renal transplantation), and hypothyroidism are a few examples. Primary hypertriglyceridemic state consists of several forms of familial diseases. The commonest types are familial hypertriglyceridemia (FHTG) and familial combined hyperlipoproteinemia (FCHL)1-3 Rarer forms of hypertriglyceridemia are lipoprotein lipase (or apo C-II deficiency) syndromes4,5 and familial dysbetalipoproteinemia (“type III hyperlipoproteinemia”), a distinct disease entitv that reflects combination of genetic absence of apo E-3 and E-46-8 together with a second metabolic disease.9 Sporadic, polygenic and ill-defined syndromes also contribute a large number of subjects to total hypertriglyceridemic population.