Association Between Serum Triglyceride Levels and Diastolic Blood Pressure During Rest and Exercise in Healthy Males and Females

Abstract

The association between serum triglyceride level, body mass index and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was examined during rest as well as during and after an estimated maximal oxygen uptake ergometer bicycle task in 40 males and 40 females. The subjects were matched for age (range 34–50 +/?2 years), cigarette smoking (20 smokers and 20 nonsmokers of each sex) and occupational level. According to a physical examination, all subjects were healthy and had triglyceride and DBP levels within the normal Swedish range. In men, but not in women, significant positive correlations were found between triglyceride and DBP levels. Removing the effects of body mass decreased the magnitude of correlations. However, a significant (p<.05) interaction remained between triglyceride level and DBP responses in men. For men in the upper quartile of the lipid distribution (above 1.80 mmol/l), DBP increased during exercise, for those in the lower quartile (below 1.00 mmol/l) DBP decreased, whereas no change occurred for those in the middle range (1.00–1.79 mmol/l). No significant association between triglyceride level and DBP was found in women. The results were discussed in relation to the atherosclerotic process.