Prevalence of lipoprotein lipase mutation in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and the characteristic features of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis

Aim: We conducted a retrospective study with the aim of determining the prevalence of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mutation in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) and to study differences in characteristic features of HTG induced acute pancreatitis (AP). Materials and Methods: Seventy adults with a serum triglyceride (TG) level ≥500 mg/dL were included in the study. Baseline characteristics, LPL mutation and risk factors between those with and without HTG-AP were compared. Results: The mean age was 43 ± 12 years, and males accounted for 55.7%. Of the patients 35 had TG level <2000 mg/dL, and 35 patients had TG ≥2000 mg/dL. LPL mutation was found in 19 (27.1%) of the cases. The prevalence of AP was 67.1% (47 patients). Younger age, TG level, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were significantly independent risk factors for the development of HTG-AP. When patients were divided into groups based on TG levels (group 1 with TG <2000 mg/dL, group 2 TG ≥2000 mg/dL) the prevalence of AP was significantly higher in group 2 (51.4% vs. 82.9%). Age and HbA1c lost their significance for development of AP. When the relationship between the frequency of AP and TG value was evaluated, the specificity of TG threshold value for developing AP was found to be 2235 mg/dL. There was no difference in prevalence of AP and TG level between mutation detected and undetected groups. Conclusion: There was no difference in prevalence of AP and TG level between variant detected and undetected groups. In contrast to the literature, higher levels of TG cut-off points to develop AP was determined.