Intra-individual variations of fasting plasma lipids, apolipoproteins and postprandial lipemia in familial combined hyperlipidemia compared to controls.

BACKGROUND

The intra-individual variability of plasma lipids and apolipoproteins has not been studied systematically in familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL).

METHODS

Intra-individual changes in fasting plasma lipids and apolipoproteins B and AI were determined in 18 untreated FCHL subjects and 16 unrelated, normolipidemic subjects. Participants were matched for gender, age and body mass index. The mean follow-up period of fasting plasma lipids was 48.91 +/- 35.46 (mean +/- S.D.) days. Postprandial lipemia was determined on 3 different days in 1 week in 90 healthy controls and 17 untreated FCHL subjects by the area under the diurnal capillary triglyceride curve (TGc-AUC).

RESULTS

The coefficients of variation (CVs) for fasting plasma TG were similar between FCHL (23.2 +/- 10.2%) and controls (20.4 +/- 8.2%). The CVs for HDL-C, apo B and apo AI were the lowest of all fasting plasma measurements in both groups and there was no significant difference between FCHL (12.8 +/- 8.2%, 13.2 +/- 15.8% and 6.4 +/- 5.2%, respectively) and controls (11.4 +/- 4.3%, 11.3 +/- 10.6% and 7.8 +/- 4.6%, respectively). The CVs for postprandial lipemia were not different between FCHL (15.9 +/- 11.3%) and controls (15.1 +/- 11.0%), and were significantly lower than the CV of fasting capillary TG (TGc) in the same period (36.3 +/- 24.7% and 24.9 +/- 17.2%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study does not provide evidence for short-term major changes in fasting or postprandial lipemia or apolipoproteins in FCHL when systematically compared to healthy controls.