Lipoprotein metabolism in patients with disordered thyroid gland function before and following therapy

: Clinical manifest hypothyreosis leads to changes of plasma lipoproteins, which are characterized by elevated LDL levels, an increase of the relation LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol, an elevation of the quotient cholesterol/triglycerides within the VLDL and an increase of the relation HDL2/HDL3. Both these changes and the diminished activities of post-heparin lipase of hepatic and extrahepatic origin are reversible after substitution therapy. On the contrary, patients with hyperthyreosis M. Basedow show low lipoprotein levels, high activities of post-heparin lipase and an elevation of the relation of the apolipoproteins apo C II/apo C III within the VLDL fraction.