The role of increased glucose on neurovascular dysfunction in patients with the metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) causes autonomic alteration and vascular dysfunction. The authors investigated whether impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is the main cause of vascular dysfunction via elevated sympathetic tone in nondiabetic patients with MetS. Pulse wave velocity, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), and forearm vascular resistance was measured in patients with MetS divided according to fasting glucose levels: (1) MetS+IFG (blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL) and (2) MetS-IFG (<100 mg/dL) compared with healthy controls. Patients with MetS+IFG had higher pulse wave velocity than patients with MetS-IFG and controls (median 8.0 [interquartile range, 7.2-8.6], 7.3 [interquartile range, 6.9-7.9], and 6.9 [interquartile range, 6.6-7.2] m/s, P=.001). Patients with MetS+IFG had higher MSNA than patients with MetS-IFG and controls, and patients with MetS-IFG had higher MSNA than controls (31±1, 26±1, and 19±1 bursts per minute; P<.001). Patients with MetS+IFG were similar to patients with MetS-IFG but had higher forearm vascular resistance than controls (P=.008). IFG was the only predictor variable of MSNA. MSNA was associated with pulse wave velocity (R=.39, P=.002) and forearm vascular resistance (R=.30, P=.034). In patients with MetS, increased plasma glucose levels leads to an adrenergic burden that can explain vascular dysfunction.