Hypertriglyceridaemia and NK cell lymphoma

This case report describes a patient who presented with pyrexia of unknown origin allied with hypertriglyceridaemia (16.2 mmol/l) but not hypercholesterolaemia (4.1 mmol/l). Investigations identified the cause of the pyrexia as an adult T-cell lymphoma of natural killer cell phenotype (CD3[+], CD7[+], anti-TCR alpha/beta[+], CD8[+], CD56[+]). Hypertriglyceridaemia has been reported with non-Hodgkin s lymphoma, and an animal model suggests that antilipoprotein lipase antibodies may be made as an immunological response to the tumour. Lymphomas should be considered as part of the differential diagnosis in type IV-V hyperlipidaemia.