In order to evaluate possible differences between men and women with regard to the ability of insulin to induce vasodilatation, promote glucose uptake and enhance endothelium-dependent vasodilatation, 12 young (22-28 years), non-obese women and 15 corresponding males were subjected to 2h of euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemia (insulin infusion rate of 56m-unitsċmin-1ċm-2). Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation was evaluated by the local intra-arterial infusion of methacholine into the brachial artery (2-4μg/min). The cardiac index was measured by thoracic bioimpedance. A 2h period of hyperinsulinaemia increased the plasma insulin concentration to a similar degree in both sexes (females, 84±8.8m-units/l; males, 87±7.5m-units/l), but induced a more marked increase in forearm blood flow in females than in males (+104±67% and +52±30% respectively; P < 0.01; 95% confidence interval for difference 11-94%). Furthermore, a significant decrease in total peripheral resistance (-20±6.9%; P < 0.01) and an increase in cardiac index (+23±13%; P < 0.01) were seen in women only (P < 0.05 compared with men). Blood pressure and heart rate were not altered in either sex. Whole-body insulin-mediated glucose uptake and forearm glucose uptake did not differ between the sexes, and the ability of insulin to enhance endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (+19%; P < 0.01) was similar in men and women. In conclusion, the present study shows that the ability of insulin to cause vasodilatation was greater in non-obese young women compared with men. However, no differences between the sexes were seen with regard to insulin-mediated glucose uptake and the ability of insulin to enhance endothelium-dependent vasodilatation.
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Research Article|
January 10 2002
Insulin-mediated vasodilatation, but not glucose uptake or endothelium-mediated vasodilatation, is enhanced in young females compared with males
Lars LIND;
*Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Correspondence: Dr Lars Lind (e-mail lars.lind@medsci.uu.se).
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Andreas FUGMANN;
Andreas FUGMANN
*Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Jonas MILLGÅRD;
Jonas MILLGÅRD
*Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Christian BERNE;
Christian BERNE
*Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Hans LITHELL
Hans LITHELL
†Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital, S-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 10 2001
Revision Received:
September 05 2001
Accepted:
October 12 2001
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2002
2002
Clin Sci (Lond) (2002) 102 (2): 241–246.
Article history
Received:
January 10 2001
Revision Received:
September 05 2001
Accepted:
October 12 2001
Citation
Lars LIND, Andreas FUGMANN, Jonas MILLGÅRD, Christian BERNE, Hans LITHELL; Insulin-mediated vasodilatation, but not glucose uptake or endothelium-mediated vasodilatation, is enhanced in young females compared with males. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 February 2002; 102 (2): 241–246. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1020241
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