OBJECTIVES: In this study, we examined the apolipoprotein (apo) CI content of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRLs) in relation to established coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors and early atherosclerosis. BACKGROUND: In Western society, the postprandial state constitutes a nearly constant stress on the vasculature and the metabolism of lipoproteins. Delayed clearance of postprandial TRL remnants has repeatedly been associated with premature CHD and may include the enrichment of these remnants with apoCI. METHODS: We examined 72 healthy 50-year-old men with an apoE3/E3 genotype who had undergone an oral fat load test and B-mode ultrasound examination of the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery. RESULTS: In the fasting state, plasma, very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, proinsulin, and apoB100-containing intermediate density lipoprotein levels were related to IMT (p