Diagnosis of remnant hyperlipidaemia

Prevalence of Dysbetalipoproteinemia in the UK Biobank According to Different Diagnostic Criteria

CONTEXT

Dysbetalipoproteinemia (DBL) is a multifactorial disorder that disrupts the normal metabolism of remnant lipoproteins, causing increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, establishing a proper diagnosis is difficult, and the true prevalence of the disease in the general population remains unknown.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives were to study the prevalence of the disease and to validate the performance of different clinical diagnostic criteria in a large population-based cohort.

METHODS

This study included 453 437 participants from the UK Biobank. DBL was established in participants having an ε2ε2 genotype with mixed dyslipidemia or lipid-lowering therapy use (n = 964). The different diagnostic criteria for DBL were applied in individuals without lipid-lowering medication (n = 370 039, n = 534 DBL), to compare their performance.

RESULTS

Overall, 0.6% of participants had an ε2ε2 genotype, of which 36% were classified as DBL, for a disease prevalence of 0.2% (1:469). The prevalence of DBL was similar between the different genetic ancestries (≤0.2%). Several diagnostic criteria showed good sensitivity for the diagnosis of DBL (>90%), but they suffered from a very low positive predictive value (0.6-15.4%).

CONCLUSION

This study reported for the first time the prevalence of DBL in the UK Biobank according to genetic ancestry. Furthermore, we provided the first external validation of different diagnostic criteria for DBL in a large population-based cohort and highlighted the fact that these criteria should not be used to diagnose DBL alone but should rather be used as a first screening step to determine which individuals may benefit from genetic testing to confirm the diagnosis.

Pancreatic and cardiometabolic complications of severe hypertriglyceridaemia

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review endeavours to explore the aetiopathogenesis and impact of severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG) and chylomicronaemia on cardiovascular, and pancreatic complications and summarizes the novel pharmacological options for management.

RECENT FINDINGS

SHTG, although rare, presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS), is the rare monogenic form of SHTG, associated with increased acute pancreatitis (AP) risk, whereas relatively common multifactorial chylomicronaemia syndrome (MCS) leans more towards cardiovascular complications. Despite the introduction and validation of the FCS Score, FCS continues to be underdiagnosed and diagnosis is often delayed. Longitudinal data on disease progression remains scant. SHTG-induced AP remains a life-threatening concern, with conservative treatment as the cornerstone while blood purification techniques offer limited additional benefit. Conventional lipid-lowering medications exhibit minimal efficacy, underscoring the growing interest in novel therapeutic avenues, that is, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) and short interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting apolipoprotein C3 (ApoC3) and angiopoietin-like protein 3 and/or 8 (ANGPTL3/8).

SUMMARY

Despite advancements in understanding the genetic basis and pathogenesis of SHTG, diagnostic and therapeutic challenges persist. The rarity of FCS and the heterogenous phenotype of MCS underscore the need for the development of predictive models for complications and tailored personalized treatment strategies. The establishment of national and international registries is advocated to augment disease comprehension and identify high-risk individuals.

Dietary recommendations for dysbetalipoproteinemia: A need for better evidence

The increased risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with dysbetalipoproteinemia (DBL) is well documented and is associated with the dysfunctional metabolism of remnant lipoproteins. Although these patients are known to respond well to lipid-lowering medication including statins and fibrates, the best dietary approach to lower remnant lipoprotein accumulation and to prevent cardiovascular outcomes remain unclear. Indeed, current evidence is based on studies published mainly in the 1970s, which comprise small sample sizes and methodological limitations. This review aims to summarize nutritional studies performed in DBL patients to date and to discuss potential avenues in this field and future areas of research.

Dysbetalipoproteinemia Is Associated With Increased Risk of Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Disease

CONTEXT

Dysbetalipoproteinemia (DBL) is a disorder in which remnant lipoproteins accumulate in the plasma due to a genetic apolipoprotein E dysfunction in conjunction with the presence of secondary metabolic factors. An increased risk of both coronary and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) has been observed in these patients in retrospective studies.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to compare the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and PVD in a cohort of patients with DBL compared with normolipidemic controls. As a secondary objective, the incidence of ASCVD and PVD was compared between patients with DBL and patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH).

METHODS

A total of 221 patients with DBL, 725 patients with FH, and 1481 normolipidemic controls were included in the study. The data were obtained by review of medical records.

RESULTS

In patients with DBL, there was an overall excess risk of PVD (hazard ratio [HR] 13.58, 95% CI 4.76-38.75) and ASCVD (HR 3.55, 95% CI 2.17-5.83) (P < .0001) when compared with normolipidemic controls. When compared with patients with FH, an increased risk of PVD (HR 3.89, 95% CI 1.20-12.55, P = .02) was observed in patients with DBL.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that the risks of ASCVD and PVD in DBL are >3-fold and >13-fold higher, respectively, than normolipidemic controls. Furthermore, the risk of PVD is ∼4-fold higher in DBL than in FH. Adequate screening of DBL is imperative to improve the clinical care of these patients by preventing the development of ASCVD.