Pediatric familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia.

Familial type III hyperlipoproteinemia is almost always first diagnosed in adults; the two 16-yr-old probands with type III in this report represent only the fifth and sixth children reported with the disorder. S.E., a 16-yr-old female, and C.H., a 21-yr-old male, (with palmar xanthomas at age 16) had beta-migrating abnormal very low density lipoproteins (beta-VLDL), density less than 1.006. S.E.'s brother (age 21) and mother (age 57) had type III; her grandmother had beta-VLDL and elevated triglycerides, and a maternal uncle had type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. C.H.'s father had type III; a sister and paternal aunt had type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. It is important to consider the diagnosis of type III hyperlipoproteinemia in the pediatric age group, particularly in children from families with type III hyperlipoproteinemia.