Spotlight FCS

Hypertriglyceridemia is the third most common cause of acute pancreatitis¹

Acute pancreatitis resulting from severe hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) has been associated with longer hospitalization times, increased admission to intensive care units, and higher rates of persistent organ failure compared with acute pancreatitis without HTG.¹

Learn more about causes of pancreatitis

From a TG concentration of >1,000 mg/dl (11.3 mmol/l), the risk of acute pancreatitis grows 3% with every 100 mg/dl (1.13 mmol/l) increase in triglyceride levels.⁴

Severe HTG has often a genetic cause.

Acute pancreatitis and hypertriglyceridaemia may be signs of the monogenetic severe HTG, familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS)^5,6

FCS is a genetic disorder of lipid metabolism resulting in severe hypertriglyceridemia >885 mg/dl (>10 mmol/L), and the risk of recurrent and potentially fatal pancreatitis.^5,6

Key facts of FCS

Think of FCS when your patient:⁵

has hypertriglyceridemia
has been treated for pancratitis

Use this algorithm to diagnose hypertriglyceridemia

HTG diagnostic algorithm

Symptoms and complication of FCS

Learn more about the broad spectrum of signs and symptoms that are associated with FCS.

Diagnosis of FCS

FCS diagnosis is based on a three-step approach: High triglyceride evaluation, Identification of candidates for FCS genetic testing and Genetic test of possible affected genes.

The importance of early diagnosis in FCS

If you suspect FCS in your patient, use the FCS diagnistic score
to support your clinical suspect.⁵

Interactive FCS score

References

Nawaz H, et al. Elevated serum triglycerides are independently associated with persistent organ failure in acute pancreatitis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2015;110:1497-503.
NCEPOD: Treat the cause. Avaliable at www.ncepod.org.uk/2016ap.html
Valdivielso P, Ramírez-Bueno A, Ewald N. Current knowledge of hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis. Eur J Intern Med. 2014 Oct;25(8):689-94.
Rashid N, et al. Severe hypertriglyceridemia and factors associated with acute pancreatitis in an integrated health care system. J Clin Lipidol. 2016 Jul- Aug;10(4):880-890
Moulin P, et al. Identification and diagnosis of patients with familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS): Expert panel recommendations and proposal of an ”FCS score”. Atherosclerosis. 2018;275:265-72
Gaudet D, et al. Targeting APOC3 in the Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2014;371:2200-6.

Persistent
hypertriglyceridemia?
Recurrent pancreatitis?