Increased circulating malondialdehyde-modified LDL in the patients with familial combined hyperlipidemia and its relation with the hepatic lipase activity.

Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is characterized by elevated levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), or both. The increased incidence of coronary artery diseases (CAD) in the patients with FCHL is believed to be caused by circulating atherogenic lipoproteins associated with the complex phenotype. Recent establishment of sensitive detection system for malondialdehyde-modified (MDA)-LDL, which is one of oxidized lipoproteins, showed its increased circulating level in the patients with CAD.

Positive family history for coronary heart disease and 'midband lipoproteins' are potential risk factors of carotid atherosclerosis in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) were examined with B-mode ultrasound in order to determine intima-media thickness (IMT) in the common carotid artery, and to uncover potential risk factors responsible for the development of IMT. Ninety seven FH subjects and 132 non FH type IIa hyperlipidemic subjects were involved in the present study. Age was found to correlate positively with IMT in both FH and non FH groups.