Long-term investigations of serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, and HDL cholesterol in heritable hyperlipidemic rabbits.

The purpose of this investigation was to follow the course of the serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride and HDL cholesterol concentrations of heritable hyperlipidemic (HHL) rabbits (34 animals in total) in order to obtain an early prediction of these parameters, which appear to be highly associated with the presence of arteriosclerotic lesions. Measurements were done at 6-week intervals for one year, beginning at the 10th week of age. At week 10 the serum cholesterol concentration of females was 652.80 mg x dl-1 +/- 103.82 (standard deviation) and that of males was 648.84 mg x dl-1 +/- 146.04. The 10-week serum triglyceride concentration of males was 267.90 mg x dl-1 +/- 93.03, which decreased in two marked steps after week 10 and 40, while that of females was 246.70 mg x dl-1 +/- 67.51, which reached a maximum at 7 months and then decreased. Both the serum cholesterol and the serum triglyceride concentrations decreased significantly in males and females during the investigation period. The 10-week HDL cholesterol concentrations (males: 18.08 mg x dl-1 +/- 12.81; females: 14.61 mg x dl-1 +/- 8.56) remained relatively constant in both sexes during the investigation period. We consider one or two samplings, usually at weaning and at the beginning of an investigation, to ensure reliable biochemical parameters for the state of the animals.