Hypertriglyceridemia in an outpatient department--Significance as an atherosclerotic risk factor.
BACKGROUND
Although a relationship between elevated triglycerides (TG) and cardiovascular diseases is generally accepted, its extent is still discussed. This retrospective study analyzed the incidence of cardiovascular events (CVE) and pancreatitis as well as the therapeutic regimen in patients being treated for hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) at an outpatient department.


METHODS
The cohort included 183 patients with mild and 49 patients with severe HTG; subgroups were formed and compared according to gender, presence of metabolic vascular syndrome (MVS) and lipid values.


RESULTS
Patients in this study seem to have had CVE at younger age than reported event rates in the general population. TG levels, rates of CVE and pancreatitis were reduced in all groups during therapy, which could be linked to use of omega-3 fatty acids and fibrates. Patients with persisting severe HTG as a result of incompliance showed massive risk for pancreatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Although no significant association between TG levels and CVE could be established, the combination of HTG and other cardiovascular risk factors such as MVS seems to be especially dangerous. The lipid-lowering drug therapy appeared to be effective with respect to CVE and pancreatitis incidence.
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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M
Scholz
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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S
Tselmin
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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S
Fischer
Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus at the Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. Electronic address: ulrich.julius@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
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U
Julius
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D014280:Triglycerides
Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular risk; Hypertriglyceridemia; Pancreatitis; Triglycerides