Type III hyperlipoproteinemia and atherosclerosis: a case report and re-evaluation

a patient with type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) who had been followed for several years at the Northwest Lipid Research Clinic died suddenly. Autopsy findings included severe atherosclerosis of the native coronaries as well as atherosclerotic involvement of saphenous vein bypass grafts. Nevertheless, there was a striking absence of atherosclerosis of the aorta or of any other noncoronary artery. These results are compared with those of previously reported cases of type III HLP, and the findings are analyzed in terms of the current concepts of the pathogenesis of type III HLP. It is suggested that there remain factors yet to be uncovered, which determine the degree and location of atherosclerotic disease involvement of the vascular tree.