Some factors indicative of hypertriglyceridemia in patients investigated for diabetes mellitus.

A study was done of 160 patients with abnormal blood glucose levels, 91 (57%) of whom fulfilled standard criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The overall prevalence (36%) and the age-related characteristics of fasting hypertriglyceridemia were similar to distributions reported in groups of patients with coronary artery disease. Fasting hypercholesterolemia occurred in four patients (2.5%), in three of whom there was evidence of associated hyperchylomicronemia on lipoprotein electrophoresis. For effective application of the OGTT response to the detection of hypertriglyceridemic patients, somewhat lower blood glucose levels than those generally accepted for the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus are necessary. Fasting hyperglycemia and the retention of body weight gained after age 25 were features of hypertriglyceridemic patients. Insufficient basal insulin action could explain the development of fasting hypertriglyceridemia in patients in whom the diagnosis of diabetes mellitus is being considered.