title: Hypertriglyceridaemia and diabetes mellitus: cause or effect?
abstract: Two patients with hypertriglyceridaemia which was diagnosed several years before the onset of diabetes are described. In the first case a 54-year-old man presented with hypertriglyceridaemia and normal glucose tolerance. After 4 years he developed severe hypertriglyceridaemia (22 mmol/l) which was first ascribed to poor compliance but soon afterwards diabetes was diagnosed and good blood glucose control minimized the hypertriglyceridaemia. The second patient, a female, aged 27 years, with the polycystic ovarian syndrome, presented with eruptive xanthoma after several years of mild hyperlipidaemia. There was severe hyperlipidaemia (triglyceride 140 mmol/l, cholesterol 42 mmol/l) which required urgent plasmapheresis. Diabetes was diagnosed and treated with insulin at this time but the patient was taking the oral contraceptive pill and also had a deficiency of apolipoprotein CII.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diabetes, St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stocks
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Galton
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Besser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides