Body mass index predicts aldosterone production in normotensive adults on a high-salt diet.
BACKGROUND
The mechanisms underlying obesity-mediated cardiovascular disease are not fully understood. Aldosterone and insulin resistance both are associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease.


OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to test the hypotheses that aldosterone production is elevated and associated with insulin resistance in overweight adults on a high-sodium diet.


METHODS
Healthy normotensive adults were categorized as lean body mass index (BMI) less than 25 kg/m(2) (n = 63) or overweight BMI 25 kg/m(2) or greater (n = 57). After 7 d of a high-sodium diet, participants fasted overnight and remained supine throughout hemodynamic and laboratory assessments and angiotensin II (AngII) stimulation.


RESULTS
The overweight group, compared with the lean group, had higher 24-h urinary aldosterone (9.0 +/- 0.8 vs. 6.6 +/- 0.5 microg per 24 h; P = 0.003) and higher AngII-stimulated serum aldosterone (11.4 +/- 1.0 vs. 9.0 +/- 0.6 ng/dl; P = 0.04). There were no differences in 24-h urinary cortisol or sodium or supine measurements of plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone, or serum potassium. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was predicted by urinary aldosterone excretion (r = 0.32, P = 0.03) and serum aldosterone response to AngII stimulation (r = 0.28, P = 0.02) independent of age and BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
Urinary aldosterone excretion and AngII-stimulated aldosterone are increased in overweight, compared with lean, normotensive adults. The correlation of these measures of aldosterone production with insulin resistance suggests a potential role for aldosterone in the pathophysiology of obesity-mediated insulin resistance.
Bentley-Lewis
Rhonda
R
Division of Endocrinology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Adler
Gail K
GK
Perlstein
Todd
T
Seely
Ellen W
EW
Hopkins
Paul N
PN
Williams
Gordon H
GH
Garg
Rajesh
R
D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000378:metabolism; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000378:metabolism; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology
D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D000804:Angiotensin II; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin; D006854:Hydrocortisone