Hypertriglyceridemia is positively correlated with the development of colorectal tubular adenoma in Japanese men

AIM: To determine the real association between serum lipid levels and colonic polyp formation. METHODS: We performed a large scale retrospective study to analyze the correlation between the incidence of colorectal adenoma or carcinoma and the fasting serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycericles; (TG) in patients who underwent total colonoscopy for screening for colon cancer. RESULTS: Both levels were significantly elevated in patients with adenomas as compared with patients without any neoplastic lesion (TC 207.6 +/- 29.5 vs 199.5 +/- 34.3, n = 4883, p < 0.001; TG 135.0 +/- 82.2 vs 108.7 +/- 71.5, n = 4874, p < 0.001). The difference was significant in patients with tubular adenoma but not in those with villous or serrated adenoma. Multiple logistic regression analysis including age and sex revealed that TG was an independent correlation factor in male (p < 0.01), but not in female patients. The level of TG in patients with invasive carcinoma did not show a significant elevation from that in patients with adenoma. These findings suggest that hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for colonic adenoma in men. CONCLUSION: Although a high level of serum triglyceride does not appear to be mechanically involved in the development of carcinoma, reduction of serum TG and intensive surveillance with total colonoscopy may have benefit in men with hypertriglyceridemia. (c) 2006 The WJG Press. All rights reserved.