Insulin resistance and glomerular hemodynamics in essential hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Arterial hypertension is an important cause of end-stage renal failure. Insulin has been shown to modify glomerular hemodynamics in hypertensive subjects. The aim of this work, therefore, was to observe the relationships between renal hemodynamics and insulin resistance in arterial hypertension.


METHODS
Sixty-two non-diabetic hypertensive patients and 25 healthy normal subjects were studied. Renal plasma flow and the glomerular filtration fraction were determined by renoscintigraphy and the insulin sensitivity by an oral glucose test.


RESULTS
Renal plasma flow in hypertensive subjects was lower than expected and was related to pressure values, whereas the mean glomerular filtration rates were not different in the two groups. In most patients the filtration fraction was higher than expected. A lower glomerular filtration rate and lower filtration fraction were found in patients with higher insulin resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
The progressive decrease of glomerular function in subjects with hypertension is linked with insulin-resistance.
Andronico
Giuseppe
G
Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Malattie Cardiovascolari e Nefrourologiche, Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Lenin Mancuso 15, 90129 Palermo, Italy. androp@unipa.it
Ferraro-Mortellaro
Rosella
R
Mangano
Maria T
MT
Romé
Maria
M
Raspanti
Francesco
F
Pinto
Antonio
A
Licata
Giuseppe
G
Seddio
Giovanna
G
Mulé
Giuseppe
G
Cerasola
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012079:Renal Circulation