Alcoholic hypertriglyceridemia with decreased activity of lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase.

A 35-year-old male with alcoholic hypertriglyceridemia due to decreased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) activities is reported. The patient had been drinking about 180 ml of whiskey (equivalent to 80 g of 100% ethanol) every day for the last 17 years, and the highest levels of serum triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol were 5,120 mg/dl and 506 mg/dl, respectively. Serum TG level returned to normal levels after complete alcohol abstinence. Further intake of ethanol resulted in an increase in serum TG to 326 mg/dl with a concomitant decrease in the serum levels of LPL and HTGL activities.