Triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and VLDL cholesterol in serum of phenylketonuric children under dietary control.

Phenylketonuria is currently treated by a special diet to avoid elevated blood concentration of the essential amino acid phenylalanine. The authors examined 20 phenylketonuric children in the Inborn Error of Metabolism Department of Institute of Child Health in Athens. The children had simultaneous clinical and laboratory investigations. Blood cholesterol levels of these children were low in comparison with the levels of healthy children of the same age, but the triglyceride levels were higher as a result of a special diet containing a large amount of carbohydrates. Because of the triglyceride elevation the authors recommend supplementary vegetable fat intake, such as in olive oil, for their patients' dietary control.