title: Impaired flow-mediated vasoactivity during post-prandial phase in young healthy men.
abstract: Impaired flow-mediated vasodilation in large arteries is an expression of endothelial dysfunction and an established marker of early atherosclerosis. Post-prandial lipemia can induce an impairment of the endothelial function. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of post-prandial phase on flow-mediated vasodilation in a group of ten young (23 +/- 2 years) healthy men without cardiovascular risk factors, who underwent an oral fat-loading test. Flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery and serum lipid profile were assessed under fasting conditions and 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after a high-fat meal. Triglycerides increased from 0.6 +/- 0.2 fasting to 1.1 +/- 0.5 and 1.3 +/-0.6 mmol/l at the 2nd and 4th hour (both P < 0.01), and decreased thereafter. Flow-mediated vasodilation fell significantly from 14.5 +/- 6.6% fasting to 3.5 +/- 1.5% and 4.0 +/- 2.2% at the 2nd and 4th hour (both P < 0.01), and returned to the basal values at the 6th and 8th hour. A strong inverse correlation was observed between the area under the incremental curve of post-prandial triglycerides (i.e. after subtraction of baseline triglycerides) and the area under the decremental curve of post-prandial flow-mediated vasodilation (r = -0.70, P = 0.025). No association was found between post-prandial vasodilation changes and fasting triglycerides, other lipid parameters or insulin. We conclude that a transient post-prandial impairment in brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation is evident in young healthy men after a high-fat meal, and is closely associated with triglyceride levels. These data provide support for a role of post-prandial phase in vascular regulation in young healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Medicina Interna, Angiologia e Malattie da Arteriosclerosi, University of Perugia, Policlinico Monteluce, Italy. glupa@unipg.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lupattelli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schillaci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pirro
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siepi
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Roscini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pasqualini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mannarino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats