Post-prandial lipaemia and endothelial function among healthy men.
BACKGROUND
There is evidence that elevated post-prandial lipoproteins adversely affect progression and outcome of cardiovascular disease. Traditional risk factors are associated with impaired endothelium-mediated vasodilatation. However, studies regarding the relationship between post-prandial lipaemia and endothelial function are divergent.


METHODS
Twelve healthy non-smokers were included in this study. Before and after intake of a lipid cocktail rich in dairy fat, we tested endothelial-dependent (acetylcholine 0.8-160 mg/min per 100 ml forearm tissue) and -independent (sodium nitroprussid 0.6 microgram/min) vascular function in the forearm vascular bed with plethysmography. Moreover, we tested the effect of 1-NMMA, a competitive inhibitor of the NO synthetase, on base-line flow. Extent of post-prandial lipaemia was assessed with the increases in triglycerides and retinyl-palmitate, a marker for intestinally derived lipoproteins.


RESULTS
Baseline flow was higher after the test meal than during fasting (preprandial 6.5 +/- 0.5 ml/min* 100 ml tissue, post-prandial 8.0 +/- 0.5, p = 0.03), but similar after 1-NMMA (p = 0.85). Before and after intake of the test meal, there was no significant difference in acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (repeated measurement ANOVA, p = 0.22). At the highest acetylcholine dose, forearm flow was very similar (fasting 18.4 +/- 1.9, post-prandial 17.9 +/- 1.9, p = 0.75). At maximum acetylcholine dose, there was a weak inverse but non-significant correlation between forearm flow and post-prandial triglyceridaemia (r = -0.38, p = 0.23) and intestinally derived lipoproteins (chylomicrons r = -0.29, p = 0.35, chylomicron remnants r = -0.15, p = 0.63). However, at the lowest acetylcholine dose there was a suggestion for a positive correlation between change in flow and post-prandial lipaemia (triglyceridaemia, r = 0.53, p = 0.07; chylomicrons, r = 0.41, p = 0.18 and remnants, r = 0.51, p = 0.09). Endothelium-independent vasodilatation in response to sodium nitroprusside did not significantly change (p = 0.23).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that among healthy men post-prandial lipaemia is not associated with a notable impairment of endothelium-mediated vascular function in forearm resistance vessels.
Muntwyler
J
J
Division Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. joerg.muntwyler@DIM.usz.ch
Sütsch
G
G
Kim
J H
JH
Schmid
H
H
Follath
F
F
Kiowski
W
W
Amann
F W
FW
D000328:Adult; D004224:Diterpenes; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010991:Plethysmography; D019518:Postprandial Period / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood
D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014280:Triglycerides; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate