Clomiphene citrate-induced severe hypertriglyceridemia

To report a case of severe hypertriglyceridemia associated with clomiphene citrate (CC) treatment.

Case report.

A patient referred to an endocrinology clinic of a state hospital.

A 29-year-old, overweight woman with a history of polycystic ovary syndrome who had been given clomiphene citrate (CC) for ovulation induction and presented with severe hypertriglyceridemia. She had a family history of type 2 diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

Clomiphene citrate treatment was discontinued, and gemfibrozil treatment at a dose of 1,200 mg/d was started.

Serum lipid levels.

With the discontinuation of CC treatment and start of a specific lipid-lowering agent, the patient's lipid profile improved. After 3 months, CC therapy was restarted, and again severe hypertriglyceridemia developed, which resolved with the previous treatment strategies.

Clomiphene citrate should be used cautiously in women having risk factors for dyslipidemia, and, even in the presence of a normal lipid profile, lipid levels should be closely monitored when CC treatment is instituted.