Postprandial triglyceridemia and carotid atherosclerosis in male patients with coronary heart disease

Objective: To test the effect of postprandial accumulation of triglyceride-rich lipoprotein (TGRL) on carotid artery atherosclerosis.

Methods: In 42 male cases with coronary heart disease (CHD) as verified by angiography, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels in fasting serum, serum triglyceride concentrations before and 2, 4, 6, 8 hours after a standard fat test meal were measured. Each patient underwent a carotid artery high-resolution B-mode ultrasound examination. The extent of alimentary lipemia [area under the triglyceride curve over 8 hours, TG-AUC and peak triglyceride response (TGPR)] correlated with the carotid artery intima-media thickness.

Results: Univariate analyses indicated both TG-AUC and TGPR had direct correlation with mean intima-media thickness measured from four well-defined vessel wall segments in the left and right carotid arteries (r = 0.45 and 0.41, both P < 0.01). After controlling for age, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride, HDL-C, and apolipoprotein B concentrations in fasting serum with multivariate stepwise regression analysis, the above correlation remained. There was an independent inverse correlation between HDL-C and carotid artery intima-media thickness.

Conclusions: It is suggested that abnormal metabolism and clearance of postprandial TGRL can promote the progression of atherosclerosis.