PLASMA LIPIDS IN PRIMARY (XANTHOMATOSIS) AND SECONDARY HYPERCHOLESTEREMIA: I. The Effect of Lipotropic Substances

HYPERCHOLESTEREMIA is a common observation in some well recognized metabolic disorders. The elevated level of cholesterol in the serum may represent a primary defect in the metabolism of this sterol (xanthomatosis )¹ or may signify a derangement in lipid metabolism secondary to some underlying metabolic disturbance, such as diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism and nephrosis. The present study embraces both types of hypercholesteremia. The first part of the investigation is concerned with the effect of several lipotropic substances on the plasma lipids and the second, which will be reported later, with diets low in cholesterol values.

MATERIAL AND METHODS  Thirteen patients were studied. The disease in 9 of these was classified as primary (essential) xanthomatosis with hypercholesteremia² and in 4 as secondary hypercholesteremia due to various metabolic disorders. The clinical data on these patients are detailed in table I.The following lipotropic materials³ were used (oral route): (a) vitamin E,