Hyperinsulinemia is characterized by jointly disturbed plasma VLDL, LDL, and HDL levels. A population-based study.

Plasma very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol and triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceridea, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, glucose and insulin response (sums of 1- and 2-hour postload oral glucose levels), body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure were determined in a representative sample (n = 542) of the adult Israeli Jewish population. Persons with diabetes or on antihypertensive medications were excluded. Total VLDL and LDL fractions were estimated from their cholesterol and triglyceride subfraction levels that were standardized relative to the mean of the reference group (participants free of glucose intolerance, obesity, and hypertension--the GOH conditions). Hyperinsulinemia and disturbed levels of VLDL and LDL were defined as levels equal to or greater than the 75th percentile and those of HDL, equal to or less than the 25th percentile of their respective reference group distributions. When VLDL was disturbed jointly with LDL and HDL, the mean insulin response adjusted for age, gender, glucose response, BMI, blood pressure, and smoking was high compared to the reference group (166.0 vs. 122.5, p less than 0.001). With isolated disturbed VLDL, or disturbed LDL and HDL but normal VLDL, the mean insulin response resembled the reference group. The adjusted risk ratio for this jointly disturbed lipoprotein profile among hyperinsulinemic individuals was 3.4 (95% confidence limits 2.6 to 4.4, p less than 0.001) with no further association with the GOH conditions. We conclude that hyperinsulinemia is characterized by an atherogenic lipoprotein profile.