Abstract
To evaluate the role of insulin in familial hypertriglyceridemia, 34 relatives of the pedigrees of 3 index cases of endogenous hypertriglyceridemia and hepatic steatosis as well as 9 spouses were examined for plasma lipids and responses of blood glucose and and plasma insulin during oral glucose tolerance tests. The combined disorders of hypertriglyceridemia and hyperinsulinemia plus glucose intolerance - insulin resistance - were most commonly found among the relatives, which were often accompanied by an impaired liver function. Some relatives showed hyperin-sulinemia without hypertriglyceridemia. Obesity was frequent, but its incidence was similar to the controls. Thus, the observed form of familial hypertrigly-ceridemia was apparently coupled with insulin resistance; and hyperinsulinemia, or insulin resistance by itself, might be a basic genetical trait in this form of lipid disorder.
