Circulation, Vol 89, 2634-2640, Copyright © 1994 by American Heart Association
U Scherrer, D Randin, L Tappy, P Vollenweider, E Jequier and P Nicod
BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with an increased incidence of
cardiovascular complications, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. In
experimental animals, overfeeding is associated with sympathetic
activation, and there is evidence that adrenergic mechanisms contribute to
cardiovascular complications. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recorded resting
postganglionic sympathetic nerve discharge (using intraneural
microelectrodes) to skeletal muscle blood vessels in 37 healthy subjects
covering a broad spectrum of percent body fat. To assess potential
functional consequences of sympathetic nerve discharge, we simultaneously
measured calf vascular resistance and energy expenditure. The resting rate
of sympathetic nerve discharge to skeletal muscle was directly correlated
with body mass index (r = .67, P < .0001) and percent body fat (r = .64,
P < .0001). In addition to body fat, muscle sympathetic nerve activity
was correlated with age (r = .40, P < .02), plasma insulin concentration
(r = .34, P < .04), and plasma lactate concentration (r = .35, P <
.04). Together, these four covariates accounted for 58% of the variance of
muscle sympathetic nerve activity (P < .0001). The rate of sympathetic
nerve discharge to calf blood vessels was directly correlated with calf
vascular resistance (r = .40, P < .02) but did not predict energy
expenditure (r = .22, P = .19). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy humans, body fat is
a major determinant of the resting rate of muscle sympathetic nerve
discharge. Overweight-associated sympathetic activation could represent one
potential mechanism contributing to the increased incidence of
cardiovascular complications in overweight subjects.
ARTICLES
Body fat and sympathetic nerve activity in healthy subjects
Department of Internal Medicine B, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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