Investigation of relationship between postprandial lipemia and erythrocyte membrane cholesterol level in patients with metabolic syndrome

A series of the metabolic events that occur following the digestion and absorption of lipids after a fatty meal has been defined as postprandial lipemia. Increased atherogenic lipoproteins play an important role in the development of atherosclerosis in the postprandial period. Free cholesterol in the erythrocyte membrane is thought to affect atherosclerotic plaque development and stability. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is clinically characterized by high plasma fasting triglyceride (TG), glucose, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL - C) levels, hypertension and abdominal obesity. Literature studies showed that the relationship between of postprandial hyperlipidemia and erythrocyte membrane cholesterol (EMC) content to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the relationship between postprandial lipemia and EMC content has not been evaluated in individuals with MetS. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between EMC and postprandial lipemia in individuals with MetS. In study group were included 27 healthy and 48 MetS subjects (male age range of 25 - 68 years, total 75). Oral triglyceride tolerance test (OTTT) were applied them and area under curves (AUC) were calculated by using TG levels at the fasting state and at 4th hours after OTTT. The anthropometric, lipid and EMC values of the two groups were compared in the OTTT response. TC, TG, AUC, LDL - C and EMC values of subjects with MetS were significantly higher than of subjects with healthy, while HDL - C value was significantly lower (p< 0.05). In conclusion, the effect of postprandial lipemia was investigated on the risk for atherosclerosis in individuals with MetS, may be considered as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic disease by increasing EMC levels.