O209	Different fast food meals acutely impair endothelial function in healthy adults: the Hamburg Burger Trial.
1R.Maas, 2T.Rudolph, 1K.Ruempler, 1E.Schwedhelm, 1J.Tan-Andresen, 3U.Riederer, 1R.Böger
1Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, DE; 2Center of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, DE; 3Institute of Pharmacy, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, DE.

Background: Under the assumption that conventional fast food burger meals may have a negative impact on vascular function vegetarian burger meals and vitamin-rich side orders have been advocated as a healthier alternative. However, the acute effects of these alternative burger meals on vascular function have not yet been compared. Methods: In a randomized, observer blinded three way cross over study we therefore compared the acute vascular effects of a common beef burger meal (Meal A: beef burger [BigMac®], French fries, ketchup, lemonade [Sprite®]) to a vegetarian burger meal (Meal B: vegetarian burger, French fries, ketchup, lemonade) and a vegetarian vitamin-rich burger meal (Meal C: vegetarian burger, mixed salad, yoghurt, orange juice). At one-week intervals 24 healthy volunteers (14 women and 10 men, aged 32±11 years) ate 3 different burger meals (matched for energy content). Endothelium-dependent (flow mediated vasodilation [FMD]) and endothelium-independent vascular function (vasodilation to nitrogylcerin [GTN]) of the brachial artery were assessed by ultrasound before and 2 and 4 hours after a burger meal. Results: After meal A mean (±SD) FMD fell from 9.7±2.5% at baseline to 7.5±3.5% and 6.2±3.2% at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, (p<0.01), as compared a decline from 9.2±3.4% to 7.2±3.4% and 6.3±4.0% at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, for meal B (p<0.01), and a decline from 8.8±3.3% at baseline to 6.2±4.0% and 6.8±4.3% at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, for meal C (p<0.05). After meal A GTN-induced response fell from 11.3±8.1% at baseline to 8.7±7.2% and 8.8±6.6% at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, (p=0.188), as compared a decline from 11.1±5.2% at baseline to 8.7±6.1% and 9.1±5.5% at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, for meal B (p<0.05), and a decline from 12.0±4.5% at baseline to 7.6±6.0% and 7.5±3.1% at 2 and 4 hours, respectively, for meal C (p<0.01). However, in repeated measures models significant differences between the three meals could not be found for post prandial decline of FMD (p=0.68) or GTN response (p=0.85). Conclusion: In contrast to common expectations conventional and vegatarian fast food meals with or without vitamin-rich side orders lead to a very similar post prandial impairment of endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation.

Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel. Any further use of this abstract requires written permission from the publisher.