Lipoprotein modifications during dietary treatment in patients with primary type V hyperlipoproteinaemia

Type V hyperlipoproteinaemia is a disorder of lipid transport characterized by the accumulation in serum of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins. The purpose of the study was the analysis of serum lipids and lipoproteins by ultracentrifugation in nine patients with primary type V hyperlipoproteinaemia before and during dietary treatment. After 30 days of balanced isocaloric diet mean serum triglycerides fell from 25.4 +/- 15.0 (mean +/- SD) to 2.8 +/- 1.7 mmol l-1. At the same time the chylomicrons and the very low density lipoproteins of flotation rate higher than 100 disappeared from the serum while the remaining very low density lipoproteins maintained unaltered their normal protein-lipid composition. After 30 days the low density lipoproteins increased significantly in concentration (from 1.6 +/- 0.8 to 4.1 +/- 1.1 mmol l-1 cholesterol) and their percentage content of cholesterol and triglyceride was increased and reduced, respectively. The highest concentration of intermediate density lipoprotein cholesterol was observed after 15 days of treatment (1.2 +/- 0.6 mmol l-1. The abnormally low concentrations and the physicochemical properties of the high density lipoproteins remained unchanged throughout the study (from 0.6 +/- 0.2 to 0.8 +/- 0.2 mmol l-1 cholesterol concentration) and no high density lipoproteins two (HDL2) were observed at any time. The effects of this treatment were an increase in low density and marginal change in high density lipoproteins which are considered, respectively, a positive and a negative risk factor for atherosclerosis.