Question

Type I hyperlipoproteinemia is characterized by which of the following?

• A. Elevated LDL
• B. Elevated HDL
• C. Elevated chylomicrons
• D. Elevated lipoprotein lipase

Hint:

Lipoprotein lipase deficiency leaves chylomicrons uncleared.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Start from the enzyme that handles dietary fat in the bloodstream: lipoprotein lipase digests the triglyceride core of chylomicrons and VLDL.
Step 2: In Type I (familial chylomicronemia), this lipase is genetically defective, so the chylomicrons delivered from the gut are never cleared and pile up in plasma.
Step 3: The laboratory picture is dominated by sky-high triglycerides carried in these retained chylomicrons. The lipase is reduced, not raised, ruling out option d, while LDL and HDL changes are not characteristic.
Step 4: Hence the defining abnormality is an excess of circulating chylomicrons.\[\boxed{\text{Elevated chylomicrons}}\]