Acute postprandial lipaemia does not influence the [formula omitted] activity of human platelets

Abstract

Platelet function and serum lipid studies were conducted on nine healthy male subjects before and two hours after three separate meals, two of which were rich in fat: saturated fat (SF) or polyunsaturated fat (PUF), and a third control meal which contained no fat. Platelet activity was assessed by determination of in vivo platelet aggregate formation, and plasma levels of the platelet specific proteins platelet factor 4 (PF 4) and β-thromboglobulin (β-TG). Serum triglyceride levels increased significantly after both fat containing meals but were unaffected by the fat free meal. Serum cholesterol levels were not affected by any of the three meals. Platelet function tests could not detect any alteration of in vivo platelet activity in terms of platelet aggregate formation or plasma concentrations of PF 4 and β-TG. These results are at variance with previously published studies that used less specific assays of platelet activity and which suggested platelet activation shortly after meals rich in SF.