title: Metformin reduces vascular endothelial dysfunction caused by an acute glucose load in patients with hypertension.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate the effects of a single dose of metformin (MF) on endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and serum antioxidant and free fatty acid levels in patients with primary hypertension (PH) after an acute glucose load.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with untreated PH were randomized to a no-metformin group (PH, n = 34) and a metformin group (PH+ MF, n = 28) who received a single dose of 500 mg metformin before testing. Healthy volunteers (n = 31) served as a control group. Brachial artery endothelium-dependent flow-mediated vasodilatation (FMD) was determined at 0, 1, 2 and 3 h after glucose load. Levels of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), anti-superoxide anion free radical (AntiO2) and free fatty acids (FFA) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The FMD in the PH group decreased significantly 1 h after glucose load (PH: 10.9 ± 2.9% vs 13.67 ± 3.42% before glucose load). Metformin inhibited the effects of glucose load on FMD. At 1 h after acute glucose load, the concentrations of SOD, T-AOC and AntiO2 in the PH group decreased significantly compared with their fasting levels, and metformin inhibited the acute glucose load-induced decline in SOD and T-AOC levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metformin can prevent transient endothelial dysfunction caused by acute glucose load in patients with PH.
authors.affiliation: First Clinical Medical College of Fujian Medical University, 20 Chazhong Road, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.
authors.forename: Ting-Xing
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun-Xia
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Da-Jun
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Chai
authors.forename: Jin-Xiu
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005215:Fasting; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008687:Metformin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005947:Glucose