Familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) is a genetic disorder characterized by increases in plasma cholesterol and/or triglyceride, elevated apolipoprotein B, and heterogeneous low density lipoprotein (LDL). To examine the relation between plasma triglyceride concentrations and LDL heterogeneity, 13 hypertriglyceridemic FCHL patients with a predominance of small LDL (LDL subclass phenotype B) were treated with gemfibrozil. The distribution of LDL was determined using nondenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and nonequilibrium density gradient ultracentrifugation. Mean plasma triglyceride levels decreased 55% (p < 0.01) after 3 months of treatment. Mean LDL peak particle size remained small (247 +/- 4 versus 249 +/- 5 A), and the correlation between change in plasma triglyceride concentrations and a change in LDL peak particle size was not significant. Individual changes in LDL flotation rate (Rf) were, however, inversely correlated with changes in triglyceride concentration (R = 0.60, p < 0.05). Although mean LDL Rf increased during treatment (p < 0.005) due to an increase in buoyant LDL, dense LDL remained elevated compared with that of a control population. Thus in FCHL patients, small, dense LDL persists despite decreases in plasma triglyceride concentrations.