Does syndrome X exist in hypertensive elderly persons with impaired glycemic control?
BACKGROUND
This report focuses on the glycemic state in relation to insulin and lipid levels of a cohort of elderly hypertensive persons to estimate the prevalence of syndrome X.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, and the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) on 95 participants in the Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly (TONE) study who agreed to participate in an ancillary study. A standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with insulin and C-peptide levels and a fasting lipid profile were obtained.


RESULTS
In this sample of healthy elderly participants with hypertension who were taking an antihypertensive medication, 43 (45.3%) had normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 41 (43.2%) had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 11 (11.6%) had undiagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Fasting hyperinsulinemia occurred in only one participant, who was in the IGT group. Hypertriglyceridemia and low high density lipoprotein (HDL) occurred in four persons, none of whom had hyperinsulinemia. Persons in the NIDDM and IGT groups had decreased beta cell function compared to persons in the NGT group, but did not have increased peripheral insulin resistance as estimated from the OGTT data.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrated that in this cohort of elderly hypertensive participants with a high prevalence of central obesity, impaired glycemic control was common, but was not associated with fasting hyperinsulinemia or peripheral insulin resistance. Furthermore, we conclude that syndrome X essentially did not occur in these participants and postulate that the primary etiology for their impaired glycemic control is beta cell dysfunction. Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships.
Johnson
K C
KC
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163, USA. kjohnson@utmem1.utmem.edu
Graney
M J
MJ
Applegate
W B
WB
Kitabchi
A E
AE
Runyan
J W
JW
Rutan
G H
GH
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D017566:Microvascular Angina / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids