Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences

TEACHING IMAGES
Year
: 2014  |  Volume : 2  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 113-

Lipemic serum


Chetana Shenoy, Manjunath M Shenoy 
 Department of Dermatology, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka

Correspondence Address:
Manjunath M Shenoy
Department of Dermatology, Yenepoya Medical College, Yenepoya University, Deralakatte, Mangalore - 575 018, Karnataka




How to cite this article:
Shenoy C, Shenoy MM. Lipemic serum.Arch Med Health Sci 2014;2:113-113


How to cite this URL:
Shenoy C, Shenoy MM. Lipemic serum. Arch Med Health Sci [serial online] 2014 [cited 2023 Mar 30 ];2:113-113
Available from: https://www.amhsjournal.org/text.asp?2014/2/1/113/133852


Full Text

A 19-year-old girl without any significant medical problems presented with eruptive xanthomas over the arms, elbows, shoulders, gluteal region, and thighs. Fasting blood sample taken for lipid profile; when centrifuged the serum appeared milky white [Figure 1] and triglyceride level was 1,380 mg/dl (reference range - up to 150 mg/dl). Thus, lipemic serum due to hypertriglyceridemia was confirmed. Lipemic serum refers to opaque, milky serum due to markedly increased triglyceride-rich lipoproteins of high molecular weight. [1],[2] Hypertriglyceridemia can be due to genetic defects or secondary to diabetes mellitus, high fat diet, excessive alcohol intake, and certain medications. [3] Eruptive xanthomas are the common presentation of hypertriglyceridemia [Figure 2]. This case appears to be a familial hypertriglyceridemia since her father also had xanthomas and elevated triglycerides.{Figure 1}{Figure 2}

References

1Frank L, Levitt LM. Idiopathic hyperlipemia with secondary xanthomatosis; report of a case. AMA Arch Derm Syphilol 1951;64:434-6.
2Havel RJ, Gordon RS Jr. Idiopathic hyperlipemia: Metabolic studies in an affected family. J Clin Invest 1960;39:1777-90.
3Pejic RN, Lee DT. Hypertriglyceridemia. J Am Board Fam Med 2006;19:310-6.