No influence of acute hypertriglyceridemia on plasma t-PA in healthy male volunteers

Dietary effects on liver blood flow may have biased the previously observed effects of hypertriglyceridemia on systemic tissue-type plasminogen activa tor (t-PA) concentrations. Therefore, in this study the effects of hypertri glyceridemia on plasma t-PA were determined by inducing hypertriglyceridemi a with an intravenous fat emulsion (Intralipid) infusion. In a randomised c rossover fashion, eight healthy male volunteers received Intralipid 10% (1. 5 ml/min) or 0.9% saline for 2 h and 45 min. After 2 h of infusion, t-PA an tigen, t-PA activity, t-PA/plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) complex, and PAI-1 activity were determined. Concomitantly, the effects of Intralip id t-PA clearance were determined from steady-state t-PA antigen concentrat ions of a 45-min recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) infu sion (31.25 mug/min). Liver blood flow was assessed from steady-state conce ntrations of a continuous sorbitol infusion. Differences between treatments were calculated using the prevalue as the covariate. No significant differ ences were observed in mean+/-S.D. endogenous concentrations of t-PA antige n, 4.5+/-0.9/4.1+/-0.9 ng/ml (Intralipid vs, saline infusion; difference of 0.3 ng/ml, 95% confidence interval, CI: - 0.2, 0.8); t-PA activity, 0.69+/ -0.21/0.68+/-0.21 U/ml (difference of 0.04 U/ml, CI: -0.17, 0.25); t-PA/PAI -1 complex, 2.0+/-1.3/1.6+/-1.0 ng/ml (difference of 0.1 ng/ml, CI: -0.8, 0 .6); and PAI-1 activity, 7.3+/-5.1/7.1+/-5.1 U/ml (difference of 0.26 U/ml, CI: - 3.7, 4.3). Mean t-PA clearance and liver blood flow were unaffected by the Intralipid infusion. These results indicate that acute hypertriglyce ridemia does not alter plasma fibrinolytic parameters in healthy male volun teers. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.