On plasma chlorpropamide, body weight and sex difference in chlorpropamide alcohol flush (CPAF)

There is evidence that the plasma chlorpropamide (CP) concentration is an important determinant of the chlorpropamide alcohol flush (CPAF). In 74 type 2 diabetics a highly significant correlation (r = 0.51, p less than 0.001) was present between the levels of plasma CP and the appearance of CPAF, measured as an index (the sum of the increase of the skin temperature and one-fourth of plasma acetaldehyde increase). Lower or no correlations were found when different threshold levels were considered. Body weight was significantly (p less than 0.001) inversely correlated to plasma chlorpropamide levels, which resulted in higher CP levels in females (mean body weight 68.6 kg, CP concentration 34.4 mg/l) than in males (83.4 kg, 26.0 mg/l), which explains the female preponderance among flushers.