Familial xanthomatous hypercholesterolemia: abnormal exogenous lipid metabolism evidenced by the vitamin A test.

Familial xanthomatous hypercholesterolemia is a metabolic disorder associated with high LDL levels attributed to a familial defect in LDL receptor activity. We have previously shown that hyperlipoproteinemia of WHHL rabbits, considered to be a model for heritable hypercholesterolemia, was at least partly of exogenous origin. We have though studied retinyl palmitate (RP) levels 12 h after a standardized mixed meal as a simple test to detect abnormalities of intestinal-derived lipoprotein clearance in 22 familial hypercholesterolemic patients with xanthomatosis (13 of them treated by simvastatin, an HMGCoA reductase inhibitor, and 9 not treated), as compared to a control group (n = 12).

[Effect of the captopril-hydrochlorothiazide combination on blood lipids. Study in a population of hypertensive hyperlipidemic patients].

In this placebo-controlled, randomized double-blind, parallel study the effects of the fixed captopril 50 mg + hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 25 mg combination on plasma lipids were assessed in 42 hypertensive, type IIa or IIb hyperlipidaemic patients on diets. Some patients received oral hypolipidaemic treatment and some did not. Blood pressure and plasma lipids levels were measured before and after 1, 2 and 3 months of treatment.

[Determination of lipoprotein Lp(a). A semi-automatic immuno-turbidimetric method].

A sensitive, accurate, semiautomatic immunoturbidimetric assay for determining Lp(a) levels using a Hitachi 705 apparatus is described. A polyclonal antibody against anti-Lp(a) produced by Immuno-france is used. Studies proved that this test is reliable and that results are well correlated with those obtained by immunonephelometry.

Seasonal variations of serum lipids and apoproteins.

Seasonal variations of blood lipids, which must be considered when performing long-term studies, could be partially due to dietary changes. In the present study, serum lipid parameters were measured each month for 1 year in nuns living in a monastery, whose diet was perfectly regular and controlled. The serum lipid variations observed consisted mainly of an increase in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins and apolipoprotein B in autumn and spring and an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in winter, whereas apolipoproteins A-I and A-II showed a marked increase in summer and at the beginning of autumn.