Normal ranges of non-fasting triglycerides in healthy Dutch males and females.
BACKGROUND
Increased triglycerides (TG) are associated with atherosclerosis. We determined free-living non-fasting TG concentrations in healthy Dutch subjects.


METHODS
Capillary TG (TGc) was self-measured by 109 males and 104 females during 3 days, on six fixed time-points each day; fasting, before and 3 h after lunch, before and 3 h after dinner and at bedtime. Daylong TGc-profiles were calculated as area under the mean TGc-curve (TGc-AUC). Reference values for "high" and "normal" daylong TGc concentrations were calculated as the 95th and 75th percentiles, respectively.


RESULTS
Fasting TGc were higher in males compared with females (1.41+/-0.75 versus 1.27+/-0.59 mmol/l), resulting in higher TGc-AUC (25.4+/-10.4 versus 20.6+/-9.8 mmol h/l). The highest TGc-concentrations were found in the evening. The majority of subjects (95%) had TGc during the evening below 4.6 mmol/l in males and below 3.7 mmol/l in females. Seventy-five percent of the subjects had TGc during the evening below 2.9 mmol/l in males and below 2.2 mmol/l in females. During the day (with exclusion of post-dinner TGc), 95% of the subjects had TGc below 3.7 mmol/l in males and below 3.6 mmol/l in females. Finally, 75% of the subjects had TGc during the day below 2.5 mmol/l in males and 1.7 mmol/l in females.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data may help to delineate normal ranges of non-fasting TG and could be used to detect groups at risk for atherosclerosis on the basis of a disturbed TG metabolism.
Department of Vascular Medicine G02.405, University Medical Center, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. j.p.h.vanwijk@azu.nl
Jeroen P H
JP
van Wijk
Arno J H H M
AJ
van Oostrom
Manuel
M
Castro Cabezas
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015930:Diet Records; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides