Postprandial endothelial function: The effect of various types of fat and of red wine intake on flow-mediated dilation in healthy volunteers

Authors

  • Spyridon Koulouris Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Panagiotis Marousis Cardiology Clinic of Olympic Village, Athens, Greece
  • Hector Anninos Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Aggeliki Melpidou Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • John Lekakis Cardiology Department, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Christos Pistavos 1st Cardiology Department, University of Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Gerard Zoulien Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece
  • Antonis S Manolis Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2015/hc.v5i3.247

Abstract

Background: Current evidence suggests that postprandial lipid composition may have either atherogenic or anti-atherogenic properties. This study investigated the acute postprandial effect of three different types of fat (saturated, mono-unsaturated, poly-unsaturated) and of red wine upon endothelial function of healthy subjects.

Methods: We fed 21 healthy young subjects four meals containing 1000  kcal and 50 g fat each. Three of the meals contained different fat sources: yellow cheese (saturated fat-meal A), olive oil (monounsaturated fat-meal B) and margarine (polyunsaturated fat-meal C). The fourth  meal contained the same amount of saturated fat as the first one together with 250 cc of red wine (meal D). We measured serum lipoproteins, with the use of standard laboratory techniques. Βrachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD), an index of endothelial function, was also assessed with B-Mode vascular ultrasound. All measurements were performed before, 2 and 4 h after each meal

Results:  All four meals significantly raised plasma triglycerides. Meal A was associated with a decrease in FMD  2 and 4 hours after its intake (16.5±5% vs. 13±4% vs. 12.3±6% , p=0.030) while with meal D FMD profoundly decreased 2 hours postprandially  with a rapid return to baseline levels at 4 hours  (14.3±9.5 vs. 8.6±5.5 vs. 12.6±7.5 , p=0.214). This type of response was associated with a concomitant increase of basal brachial artery diameter at 2 hours postpandially (3.7±0.6 mm vs 4.2±0.7 mm vs 3.9±0.7mm at 0, 2 and 4 hours respectively , p=0.000). Meals B and C did not significantly affect FMD.

Conclusions. Saturated fat acutely decreases FMD while mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated fat do not have any harmful effect on endothelium. The concomitant intake of red wine with saturated fat is associated with a delayed counteracting effect on lipid-induced postprandial endothelial dysfunction.

Author Biographies

Spyridon Koulouris, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Specialty: Cardiology

Panagiotis Marousis, Cardiology Clinic of Olympic Village, Athens, Greece

Specialty: Cardiology

Hector Anninos, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Specialty: Cardiology

Aggeliki Melpidou, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Specialty: Biochemistry

John Lekakis, Cardiology Department, Attikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece

Specialty: Cardiology

Christos Pistavos, 1st Cardiology Department, University of Athens Medical School, Hippokration Hospital, Athens, Greece

Specialty: Cardiology

Gerard Zoulien, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Speciality: Biochemistry

Antonis S Manolis, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece

Speciality: Cardiology

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Published

2010-10-23

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Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLES