Lipid Biochemistry USMLE Step 1 Practice Question
A 19-year-old college student presents with recurrent eruptive xanthomas and acute pancreatitis. Vital signs show HR 102, BP 128/76, RR 18, temp 37.2°C. Laboratory studies reveal severe hypertriglyceridemia at 2,200 mg/dL with total cholesterol of 110 mg/dL. Serum amylase is elevated at 420 U/L. Lipid electrophoresis shows a creamy layer on standing plasma. He denies current statin use. Genetic testing confirms homozygous lipoprotein lipase deficiency. Which lipoprotein class is predominantly elevated?
Answer choices
- AIDL
- BVLDL
- CLDL
- DHDL
- EChylomicronsCorrect answer
- FLipoprotein(a)
See the full explanation
Get the correct-answer rationale, why each distractor is wrong, the underlying mechanism, and high-yield associations — plus adaptive practice that targets your weak areas — with a free MedBoardPRO account.