Magnitude of the Difference between Fasting and Non-fasting Triglycerides, and Its Dependent Factors Running Title: Fasting and Non-fasting Triglycerides

Abstract

Background: It is largely unknown about the magnitude of the difference between fasting and non-fasting triglycerides, and whether this difference is dependent on certain potential cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 8,073 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2010. Fasting status was classified into two groups: fasting (≥8 hours) and non-fasting status (<8 hours). The difference between fasting and non-fasting triglycerides its dependent CVD risk factors were estimated with linear regression model. Results: Overall, fasting participants had lower triglycerides than non-fasting participants after adjusting for covariates (difference=4.22 mg/dL; P=0.049). Triglycerides levels at fasting status was interacted with hypertension (P=0.05), antihyperlipidemic agent use (P=0.07) and LDL cholesterol (P=0.04). In the separate analyses of the participants with and without hypertension, antihyperlipidemic agent use, or with high and low levels of LDL cholesterol, fasting triglycerides were much lower than non-fasting triglycerides only in participants with hypertension (difference=14.24 mg/dL; P=0.03), antihyperlipidemic agent use (difference=14.10 mg/dL; P=0.02), or LDL cholesterol <130 mg/dL (difference=6.46 mg/dL; P=0.02). Conclusions: The difference between fasting and non-fasting triglycerides was 4 mg/dL in the overall samples, and factors that determine the magnitude of differences were hypertension status, antihyperlipidemic agent use and LDL cholesterol levels. These findings may help us to use fasting and non-fasting triglycerides properly to assess the risk of CVDs.