Conjoint high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol across generations. Analysis of proband hypertriglyceridemia and lipid/lipoprotein disorders in first-degree family members.
BACKGROUND
To discern whether hypertriglyceridemia (hyper-TG, TG > 95th percentile) and hypoalphalipoporteinemia (hypoalpha, high-density lipoprotein [HDL-C] < or = 10th percentile) are jointly transmitted in families, we studied 385 probands with marked elevations in TG or cholesterol levels (TG or cholesterol > 99th percentile in a previous visit) and their 2072-first-degree relatives in the Lipid Research Clinics' Family Study. Repeat TG measurement, with exclusion criterion of TG < or = 95th percentile, resulted in 162 probands with hyper-TG.


RESULTS
When the proband demonstrated the conjoint trait (CT; ie, TG > 95th percentile, HDL-C < or = 10th percentile, n = 82), an average of 10.6% of first-degree relatives conjointly expressed hyper-TG and hypoalpha in contrast to only 4.1% of first-degree relatives of a proband who expressed high TG levels with normal HDL-C levels (TG > 95th percentile, HDL-C > 10th percentile, n = 80). Hyper-TG was expressed in 24.2% of first-degree relatives of probands with CT. However, hyper-TG was expressed in only 14.4% of first-degree degree relatives of probands with hyper-TG alone. CT probands and their family members tended to have more reported cardiac events and symptoms (P = .02 and .09, respectively) than those subjects associated with hyper-TG alone.


CONCLUSIONS
The differences in HDL-C-TG abnormalities between families related to hyper-TG probands with or without hypoalpha indicate that bottom decile HDL-C is not simply secondary to hyper-TG. A familial interaction is suggested between HDL-C and TG levels consistent with the transmission of hyper-TG and hypoalpha among first-degree relatives. Among subjects and their families with hyper-TG, those who in addition have low HDL-C demonstrate a tendency for more coronary artery disease than do those with normal HDL-C levels.
Sprecher
D L
DL
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, OH 45267.
Hein
M J
MJ
Laskarzewski
P M
PM
D000328:Adult; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006953:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type IV / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D014280:Triglycerides