A 22-year-old man is being examined by his physician because he is concerned about growths on his eyelids. He is 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) tall and weighs 85 kg (188 lb); BMI is 26 kg/m2. Physical examination shows no other abnormalities except for xanthelasmas. Serum studies show a total cholesterol concentration of 300 mg/dL, HDL-cholesterol concentration of 37 mg/dL, and triglyceride concentration of 3500 mg/dL. Which of the following is the most likely cause of these findings?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's extremely high triglyceride levels and presence of xanthelasmas suggest a disorder in lipid metabolism, most likely lipoprotein lipase deficiency, which leads to impaired breakdown of triglycerides. The most telling finding in this patient is the massively elevated levels of triglycerides. Loss of, or reduced, activity of lipoprotein lipase would lead to a decreased capacity to remove fatty acids from the triglycerides in circulating lipoprotein particles, thus causing the significant increase in serum triglycerides.

A 22-Year-Old Man Is Being Examined by His Physician Because