Post-heparin lipolytic activities and alterations of the chemical composition of high density lipoproteins in alcohol-induced type V hyperlipidemia.

In order to study the effects of chronic alcoholism, 3 groups of patients were investigated and compared to 10 healthy controls. Group I consisted of 9 heavy drinkers, who exhibited type V hyperlipidemia (HLP) under alcohol intake. Group II consisted of 7 patients, who previously had type V HLP under the influence of alcohol. At the time of the investigation, however, they had ceased alcohol drinking for at least 6 months and were normolipidemic. Group III consisted of 7 heavy drinkers without hyperlipidemia. Compared to controls, group I had significantly decreased plasma concentrations of high density lipoproteins2 (HDL2) and HDL3 (both P less than 0.01); activities of post-heparin lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase (HTGL) as well were excessively decreased (both P less than 0.01). In group III LPL was also decreased (P less than 0.01), but HTGL was distinctly (P less than 0.01) higher than in controls. No such differences could be demonstrated for the patients of group II. Acute alcohol withdrawal from a patient suffering from alcoholism with HLP led to a sharp increase of LPL with a simultaneous decrease of VLDL within 2 days and a more delayed increase of LDL, HDL2 and HTGL, all reaching normal values within 12 days after cessation of alcohol drinking. With respect to the apolipoprotein (apo) composition of HDL2, patients of group I and group III exhibited a significantly lower percentual content of apo C-I at the expense of a significantly higher content of apo A-II as compared to controls and patients of group II. In group I and II, the percentual content of apo D in HDL2 was significantly higher than in controls and in group III. It is concluded that severe alcohol intake strongly impairs LPL in patients with HLP. The pronounced increase of HTGL in some patients (group III) may protect these individuals from HLP. The increased content of apo D in HDL2 may be a possible primary trait for alcohol-inducible HLP.