THE FATTY ACIDS OF THE SERUM IN HYPOTHYROIDISM

Abstract

SUMMARY The fatty acid patterns of the cholesterol ester, triglyceride and phospholipid fractions of serum from thirteen hypothyroid subjects have been determined using gas-liquid chromatography. A comparison was made with the results of similar analyses performed on sixteen apparently normal subjects and on eighteen patients with ischaemic heart disease. A trend towards increasing saturation was found in each of the fractions from the hypothyroid subjects. This was most marked in the cholesterol esters. The mechanism of the production of this trend is discussed and it is suggested that it is secondary to the hyperlipidaemia of hypothyroidism. Attention is drawn to the implication of these findings in interpreting the reported changes in the fatty acid composition of the serum lipids in atherosclerosis.