Lipoprotein lipase in cystic fibrosis of the pancreas.

Abstract

Abstract A decrease of lipoprotein lipase in children with cystic fibrosis has been demonstrated using two separate approaches. First, the fibrocystic patients failed to clear an intravenous load of fat as satisfactorily as a group of normal control subjects, especially following the administration of heparin. Second, the direct measurement of plasma lipoprotein lipase activity in vitro failed to show a satisfactory rise following heparin among fibrocystic patients as compared with normal control subjects. This may represent a secondary effect of poor intestinal absorption of triglycerides because of a deficiency of pancreatic lipase in the duodenal secretions.