TRANSIENT TRIGLYCERIDEMIA DECREASES VASCULAR REACTIVITY IN YOUNG, HEALTHY-MEN WITHOUT RISK-FACTORS FOR CORONARY HEART-DISEASE

Background Hypertriglyceridemia is now accepted as a risk factor for c oronary heart disease, although the mechanism behind the increased ris k is not well understood. The present study was undertaken to investig ate the effects of triglyceridemia on endothelial function, because im paired endothelial function is considered a marker of atherogenesis. M ethods and Results Flow-and nitroglycerin-induced dilatation of the br achial artery was investigated noninvasively by high-resolution ultras ound technique in seven young, healthy men without risk factors for co ronary heart disease. Transient triglyceridemia was induced by infusio n of a triglyceride emulsion, Intralipid, which raised free fatty acid concentrations twofold and triglyceride levels fourfold. Flow-induced vasodilatation decreased from 7.1 +/- 3.0% to 1.6 +/- 2.6% (P < .0002 ), whereas nitroglycerin-induced vasodilatation decreased from 20.5 +/ - 5.8% to 11.5 +/- 3.2% (P < .002) before and after 1 hour of infusion of Intralipid, respectively. Conclusions Transient triglyceridemia de creases vascular reactivity, presumably by both endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent mechanisms.