LIPOPROTEIN ABNORMALITIES IN HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIC PATIENTS ON LONG-TERM HEMODIALYSIS

Objectives. To analyse by ultracentrifugation in a zonal rotor the pla sma lipoproteins in hypertriglyceridaemic patients on long-term haemod ialysis. Design. Case-control study. Setting. Tertiary referred care c entre. Subjects. Ten consecutive hypertriglyceridaemic patients on hae modialysis and 12 consecutive healthy controls. Main outcome measures. Plasma lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, lipoprotein physical properties and compositions, apolipoprotein concentrations. R esults. Hypertriglycerldaemia in patients undergoing haemodialysis is characterized by an increased amount of small and slow floating very-l ow density lipoproteins (VLDL), higher concentrations of intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) and small and dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles; reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins (HDL), i n particular of HDL2. The lipoprotein composition of such patients ind icates reduced cholesterol ester and increased triglyceride content. C ompared to controls, they have lower levels of plasma apolipoprotein A -I and A-II and higher B, C-II, C-III and E values. Conclusions. The l ipoprotein abnormalities observed in hypertriglyceridaemic patients un dergoing haemodialysis have recently been associated with an increased incidence of vascular complications and may in part explain the high incidence of vascular disease reported in these subjects.