Increased values of antipyrine clearance in type IV hyperlipoproteinemia.

When compared to values obtained in 17 normal weight normolipidemic control subjects (41.63 +/- 2.73 ml X min-1) antipyrine clearance determined in the saliva was found to be obviously decreased in the 10 patients with liver cirrhosis (21.88 +/- 0.79) and significantly increased in the 17 subjects with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia (59.91 +/- 4.59). Antipyrine clearance was positively correlated with both serum triglyceride concentration (r = 0.574; p less than 0.001) and serum cholinesterase activity (r = 0.705; p less than 0.001) and these correlations persisted even after the exclusion of cirrhotic patients. It is suggested that the accelerated hepatic secretion of very low density lipoproteins and of many export proteins and enzymes noted in most hypertriglyceridemic subjects is accompanied by an enhanced activity of liver microsomal enzymes involved in drug metabolism.