Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG)-induced pancreatitis during pregnancy could lead to maternal and fetal death. However, its genetic bases are not fully understood, and its treatment strategies are yet to be established. Here we report a case with a novel homozygous nonsense variant of LMF1 in pregnancy-associated HTG with acute pancreatitis. Our patient had childhood-onset severe HTG that had been well-controlled by dietary management in the non-pregnant period with plasma triglyceride (TG) levels at around 200 mg/dL. Milky plasma was noted at the first-trimester pregnancy checkup, followed by a severe increase in plasma TG (10,500 mg/dL) that resulted in pancreatitis in the last trimester. The implementation of strict dietary fat restriction (less than 4 grams per day) reduced plasma TG levels and led to successful delivery. Exome sequencing revealed a novel homozygous nonsense variant in LMF1 (c.697C>T, p.Arg233Ter). The activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic lipase in post-heparin plasma were not abolished but reduced. The use of pemafibrate decreased plasma TG levels with a concomitant increase in LPL activity. HTG in childhood or early pregnancy is commonly assumed to be polygenic in origin but should be regarded as a feature suggestive of monogenic hyperchylomicronemia. Adequate TG monitoring and dietary fat restriction should be implemented to prevent potentially lethal events of pancreatitis.
Keywords: Hypertriglyceridemia; LMF1; Pancreatitis; Pregnancy.
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