title: Mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridemia in young men is associated with endothelial dysfunction and increased plasma concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate endothelial function and common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in healthy young men with mild-to-moderate hypertriglyceridemia. Plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, was measured to further elucidate the mechanisms involved.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for coronary heart disease although the mechanisms behind the increased risk remain to be defined. Acute elevation of plasma triglycerides induced by an intravenous fat load is associated with impaired endothelial function. The results of studies examining acute effects induced by a high-fat meal or effects of chronic hypertriglyceridemia on endothelial function are more inconsistent.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flow-mediated vasodilation and nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation of the brachial artery and common carotid IMT were measured noninvasively by ultrasound technique in 15 hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) subjects and 15 matched controls, mean age 34 years. Plasma concentrations of ADMA were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Flow-mediated vasodilation was decreased in the HTG group (p < 0.0001), whereas nitroglycerin-induced vasodilation and carotid IMT did not differ significantly. Asymmetric dimethylarginine concentrations were higher in the HTG group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertriglyceridemia in young men is associated with endothelial dysfunction and increased plasma concentration of ADMA but not with increased IMT of the common carotid artery. The corollary is that chronic hypertriglyceridemia results in endothelial dysfunction, possibly due to increased ADMA concentration, and that endothelial dysfunction might precede increased IMT among the early manifestations of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Pia.Lundman@medks.ki.se
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lundman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stühlinger
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamsten
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tornvall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000097:blood*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D014664:Vasodilation
chemical_list: C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase