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Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Measuring the Rate of Lipolysis in Ex Vivo Murine Adipose Tissue and Primary Preadipocytes Differentiated In Vitro
Published on: March 17, 2023
Pseudo-hypertriglyceridaemia: a measurement artefact due to glycerol kinase deficiency
T A Walmsley1, H C Potter, P M George
1Clinical Biochemistry Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Abstract:
A man presented with elevated plasma triglycerides and was commenced on fibrate treatment. The triglycerides did not fall and compliance was questioned. The triglyceride elevation was inconsistent with the observed lack of turbidity in the plasma sample. Triglyceride elevation was not confirmed by a different analytical method and lipoprotein electrophoresis showed a normal very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) band pattern. Glycerol kinase deficiency was suspected and was supported by elevated urine glycerol, and confirmed by reduced leucocyte enzyme activity and mutational analysis of the GK gene which showed a novel three base pair deletion. Demonstration of a point mutation also excludes a contiguous gene deletion syndrome.
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