Insulin-stimulated glucose utilization and borderline hypertension in young adult blacks

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there is a relation between impaired insulin-stimulated glucose utilization, or insulin resistance, and blood pressure (BP) in a young adult black population. Clinically well, young black men and women, including normotensive (BP < 135/85 mm Hg, n = 23) and borderline hypertensive (BP > or = 135/85 mm Hg, n = 27) individuals, were studied. Each subject had an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and underwent a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp procedure. A two-way analysis of variance demonstrated a significantly greater fasting insulin plasma concentration (P < .02) and sum of insulin levels during the OGTT (P = .04) in the borderline hypertensive compared with normotensive subjects. In both BP groups, women had significantly higher fasting plasma insulin levels than men (P < .02 and P = .009). Body mass index was a significantly covariate of the plasma insulin concentration. Data obtained from the clamp demonstrated significant insulin resistance in borderline hypertensive compared with normotensive subjects (4.69 +/- 0.50 versus 6.57 +/- 0.63 mg/kg per minute, P = .002). A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that there are significant multiple correlations of insulin resistance with body mass index, clamped insulin level, BP group, and systolic BP (multiple R = .7862, P < .001). Application of this analysis to the nonobese sample (n = 33) found significant correlations of insulin resistance with sex, BP group, and systolic BP (multiple R = .6817, P < .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)