[Coronary lesions in type II and IV hyperlipoproteinemias. Coronarographic study]

Coronary arteriography was performed in 24 patients with type-II and in 22 patients with type-IV hyperlipoproteinemia. The findings of the present study allow definition of several angiographic characteristics which seem to be linked to the type of hyperlipoproteinemia. Patients with type II generally have more widespread disease in the coronary tree at younger ages than do those with type IV. Type-II patients usually have proximal and distal disease, whereas type-IV patients have more often proximal disease only. Significant stenosis of the main left coronary artery is frequent in type-II but very rare in type-IV patients. Extensive calcification of the ascending aorta, sometimes associated with narrowing of the proximal aortic root, is present in 25% of type-II but in none of type-IV patients.