title: Responses of serum insulin and blood pressure to cold and handgrip in obese patients.
abstract: A close correlation between body weight and blood pressure has been frequently observed in both clinical and epidemiological studies. The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate whether, in obese patients, there is any relationship between blood pressure, at rest or during sympathetic stimulation, and blood glucose and serum insulin, both while fasting and during an oral glucose challenge. Twenty obese patients (age 26-65 years, body weight 97 +/- 16 kg, 11 normotensive and 9 hypertensive) entered the study. After a 4-week run-in period on an isocaloric diet with normal intake of sodium, blood pressure and heart rate were measured at rest and during sympathetic stimulation induced by cold and isometric testing. Responses of glucose and insulin to a standardized 75 g oral glucose tolerance test were also evaluated. The responses of glucose and insulin to glucose challenge were not statistically different in normotensive and hypertensive obese patients. Levels of insulin in the serum in the serum in the fasting state and during glucose load were significantly correlated with the response of blood pressure to cold and isometric exercise, but not to blood pressure at rest. The response of heart rate to cold was closely related to insulin only in the subgroup of normotensives. The present findings support the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system, which influences secretion of insulin and regulation of blood pressure, is involved in the pathophysiology of the association of obesity and hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine and Metabolic Diseases, University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: De Simone
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iovine
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marotta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mainenti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mancini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D015444:Exercise; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin