Two trials have been performed in the same patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia Types IIb (12 cases), III (6 cases) and IV (11 cases). In the first study the lipid-lowering properties of bezafibrate, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, etofibrate and etofylline clofibrate were compared and in a separate trial the influence of combined treatment with gemfibrozil plus colestipol and bezafibrate plus probucol on lipoproteins were investigated. The mean percentage lipid-lowering effect of each fibrate on serum and VLDL fraction was significant in the Types IIb, III and IV patients, but there were significant differences between the fibrates. In general, gemfibrozil and bezafibrate decreased plasma lipid levels more than etofibrate and etofylline clofibrate in Type IIb patients. In Type IV cases gemfibrozil and bezafibrate were significantly potent in reducing the triglyceride level than fenofibrate, etofibrate or etofylline clofibrate. All the fibrates produced an increase in HDL cholesterol, but there were significant differences between them were in the Type IV patients. The influence of fibrates on the LDL fraction was much more variable. In hyperlipoproteinaemia Type IIb, a decrease in both LDL cholesterol and LDL apolipoprotein B was observed. In Type III and IV patients, however, an increase in LDL concentration occurred. The addition of colestipol to gemfibrozil therapy led to a further decrease in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and LDL apolipoprotein B in Type IIb patients. In patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia Types III and IV colestipol prevented the increase in LDL concentration after treatment with gemfibrozil alone. The effect of probucol on LDL cholesterol was comparable to that of colestipol. Combined treatment with gemfibrozil and colestipol caused an increase in HDL cholesterol concentration in contrast to combined treatment with bezafibrate and probucol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)