HYPERTRIGLYCERIDEMIA AND PLASMA-INSULIN I N COMBINED FAMILIAL HYPERLIPIDEMIA

Changes in insulin secretion were investigated in a group of non obese subjects with combined familial hyperlipidemia (CFH), with normal glu cose tolerance, relating the observed changes with plasma triglyceride s and lipoprotein phenotype. Materials and methods. The study was cond ucted with 21 subjects (16 males and 5 females; mean age: 45.9 +/- 9.1 years), diagnosed of CFH after the clinical and analytical study of p atients and their first degree relatives (9 with phenotype IIa, 8 IIb, and 4 IV) and 21 healthy control subjects, of similar age, sex and bo dy weight. In both groups, lipids, plasma lipoproteins, glucose, basal plasma insulin, and insulin after and oral glucose overload (OGO) wer e quantitated. Results. Diastolic blood pressure was higher (p < 0.01) in CFH group compared with controls (means: 132/80 vs 123/71 mmHg, re spectively). TC, TG and Apo B were also higher in the CFH group. With OGO significantly higher serum insulin levels were observed at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes in CFH subjects compared with control group. Ba sal serum insulin and the area under the curve of insulin secretion af ter OGO was higher in subjects with triglycerides (45,579 +/- 13,056 i n controls, 61,385 +/- 22,254 in CFM IIa, 70,645 +/- 17,271 IIb and 12 4,884 +/- 36,944 in CFH IV. Insulin secretion correlated significantly (p < 0.01) with plasma triglycerides. As conclusion, hyperinsulinism is a finding in CFH non obese subjects and with normal glucose toleran ce, and has an increasing frequency in subjects with high triglyceride s levels.