Hyperlipidemia is associated with accelerated glomerular sclerosis in experimental renal insufficiency. To investigate whether the dyslipoproteinemia seen in human renal failure also influences the future course of renal insufficiency, we have correlated plasma levels of lipids and apolipoproteins at start of follow-up with the subsequent change in renal function in 34 adult patients with chronic renal disease. Nineteen patients had primary renal disease, and 15 patients had diabetic nephropathy. Except for antihypertensive therapy no specific treatment to modify the progression of the disease was given during the follow-up. The rate of progression was determined by repeated measurements of the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The time of follow-up ranged from 12 to 91 months with an average of 39.7 +/- 16.7 months. The mean initial GFR was 34.7 +/- 13.9 ml/min x 1.73 m2 body surface area and the average decline in renal function was -0.27 +/- 0.26 ml/min/month. The entry levels of triglycerides (TG; p = 0.04), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 0.03), apolipoprotein-B (ApoB; p = 0.008) and systolic blood pressure (SBP; p = 0.04) were significantly correlated with the rate of progression. Among lipoprotein variables, ApoB showed the strongest correlation with the decline in GFR. Patients with a progressive course of their disease also tended to have initially higher levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (NS), whereas the initial plasma concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol did not show an association with the progression of renal insufficiency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)