Metabolic Heterogeneity Underlying Postprandial Lipemia among Men with Low Fasting High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Concentrations¹

Abstract

The high triglyceride (TG) and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol dyslipidemia has been associated with increased postprandial lipemia. Although fasting TG is a powerful predictor of postprandial hyperlipidemia, the role of hypoalphalipoproteinemia in postprandial TG metabolism is uncertain. We have studied postprandial lipemia among 63 men with low fasting plasma HDL cholesterol concentrations (Ͻ0.9 mmol/L), but with either low (Ͻ2.0 mmol/L) or high (Ͼ2.0 mmol/L) fasting plasma TG levels. A significant relationship was noted between postprandial TG response and fasting HDL cholesterol concentration (r ϭ Ϫ0.43; P Ͻ 0.0005). We also found that men with high TG/low HDL dyslipidemia (high TG and low HDL cholesterol; n ϭ 16) were characterized by abdominal obesity as well as increased visceral adipose tissue accumulation, whereas normolipidemic controls (low TG and high HDL cholesterol; n ϭ 26) and men with isolated low HDL cholesterol concentrations (low TG and low