title: Sexual dimorphism of the autonomic nervous system response to weight loss in obese patients.
abstract: The sex-related response of the sympathoadrenal system to very low calorie diet (VLCD) with sodium restriction has been studied in a group of 16 obese subjects (8 men; 8 women). Once in sodium balance obese men were different from women in respect to initial body weight, mean daily 4 h urinary excretion of epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) measured for 48 h. After 20 days of VLCD the weight loss was higher in men than women (P < 0.01), E excretion increased in men more than in women (P < 0.01), and was correlated with weight decrement (r = 0.78; P < 0.01). NE excretion decreased in a similar way in both sexes. The present findings demonstrate sexual dimorphism in catecholamine excretion during VLCD and provide further evidence of the relative autonomy of adrenomedullary secretion from sympathetic nervous system activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Rio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonati
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marrama
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Della Casa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000652:urine; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000652:urine; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy*; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D012083:Renin / Q000652:urine; D012737:Sex Factors; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D012964:Sodium; D012083:Renin; D011188:Potassium; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine