A case report of pseudo-hypertriglyceridemia

Currently, the determination of triglycerides (TG) uses an indirect method: the concentration of TG is assayed from the amount of free glycerol released by the hydrolysis of TG into fatty acids (FA) and glycerol. In general, the physiological glycerol before hydrolysis is very low. However, in some situations, glycerolaemia may be significantly elevated, due to the presence of exogenous or endogenous glycerol giving rise to (pseudo) hypertriglyceridemia. Here, we report a 48-year-old male patient with type 2 diabetes presenting with a pseudo-hypertriglyceridemia based on a pronounced hyperglycerolaemia. The hyperglycerolaemia was due to a deficiency of glycerol kinase (GKD). In conclusion, unexplained hypertriglyceridemia should raise the suspicion of hyperglycerolaemia, especially when it resists well-conducted fibrate treatment, with a non-lipemic serum and which is not associated with an increase in pre-beta lipoproteins or abnormal presence of chylomicrons.