Autonomic responses to physiological stressors in women with type 2 diabetes

Ruth M. Franklin, Tracy Baynard, Ruth S. Weinstock, Styliani Goulopoulou, Robert Carhart, Robert Ploutz-Snyder, Arturo Figueroa, Bo Fernhall, Jill A. Kanaley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

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). Interpretation: 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.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)66-73
Number of pages8
JournalClinical Autonomic Research
Volume18
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2008

Keywords

  • Autonomic nervous system
  • Glucose tolerance test
  • Obesity

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