Serum lipids, lipoprotein lipids and coronary heart disease in patients with xanthelasma palpebrarum.

Serum lipids and lipoprotein lipids were studied in 53 patients (21 males and 32 females) with xanthelasma palpebrarum and 40 age-matched normal controls (20 males and 20 females). Patients were subdivided into patients with normolipidemia, hyperlipidemia or familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). In both male and female patients with hyperlipidemia or FH, the serum cholesterol (Chol) levels were significantly higher than in normal controls. In both male and female patients with normolipidemia or hyperlipidemia, the VLDL-Chol levels were significantly higher than in normal controls. Male patients with FH showed significantly higher levels of VLDL-Chol than normal controls. Both male and female patients with normolipidemia, hyperlipidemia or FH showed significantly higher levels of LDL-Chol, lower HDL-Chol levels and lower HDL-Chol/LDL-Chol ratios than normal controls. In both male and female patients with hyperlipidemia and in male patients with FH, the serum triglyceride (TG) levels were significantly higher than in normal controls. Both male and female hyperlipidemic patients showed significantly higher levels of VLDL-TG than normal controls. In male patients with FH, the VLDL-TG levels were significantly above the control levels. In male patients with normolipidermia, the LDL-TG levels were significantly higher than in normal controls. In both male and female patients with hyperlipidemia or FH, the LDL-TG levels were significantly higher than in normal controls. The HDL-TG levels in patients with normolipidemia (males) or FH (females) were significantly lower than in normal controls. The prevalence of coronary heart disease in patients with normolipidemia, hyperlipidemia or FH was 29.4%, 24.0% and 45.4%, respectively.