Autonomic responses to physiological stressors in women with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To compare autonomic function, measured during handgrip (HG) and cold pressor (CP), between obese with and without type 2 diabetes and non-obese women in fasting and post-glucose load states.


METHODS
Twelve obese women with type 2 diabetes (50 +/- 1 years), 15 obese women without type 2 diabetes (48 +/- 2 years), and 12 non-obese women (49 +/- 2 years) participated in this study. Heart rate variability (HRV) was determined during autonomic function tests, conducted in both the fasting state and after a glucose challenge (oral glucose tolerance test-OGTT).


RESULTS
Obese women with and without diabetes and non-obese women responded similarly fasted and post-glucose challenge, such that in the fasted state low frequency power normalized (LF(nu)) to total power (TP), log transformed (Ln) low frequency to high frequency ratio (LnLF/HF) and heart rate (HR) significantly increased with the autonomic functional tasks (P < 0.05), whereas HF(nu) significantly decreased with the tasks (P < 0.05). Handgrip elicited a lower LnTP and a higher HR (P < 0.05) when compared to CP in the fasted state. In the glucose challenged state LF(nu), LnLF/HF and HR increased (P < 0.05) and HF(nu) significantly decreased (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Results of autonomic testing did not differ between obese women, with and without diabetes, and non-obese women. The HG test elicited a greater reduction in HRV total power compared to the CP. This suggests that HG may be more useful when examining autonomic function in women with complicated diabetes.
Franklin
Ruth M
RM
Exercise Science Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-5040, USA. rmfrankl@syr.edu
Baynard
Tracy
T
Weinstock
Ruth S
RS
Goulopoulou
Styliani
S
Carhart
Robert
R
Ploutz-Snyder
Robert
R
Figueroa
Arturo
A
Fernhall
Bo
B
Kanaley
Jill A
JA
D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018737:Hand Strength; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005947:Glucose