Research Information System
Hormone Research, vol.58, no.6, pp.283-286, 2002 (SCI-Expanded)
Objectives: Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is associated with insulin resistance in certain conditions. However, whether TNF-α is related to insulin resistance in hypertensive subjects is still controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the status of TNF-α and insulin resistance in hypertension. Methods: Newly diagnosed nondiabetic 17 essentially hypertensive (6 men, 11 women) patients, and 11 control healthy subjects (5 men, 6 women) are involved in the study. Body mass index (BMI), insulin, fasting blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, and TNF-α levels were measured. Insulin resistance is assessed according to homeostasis model of assessment (HOMA-IR). Results: Serum insulin (8.4 ± 2.7 vs. 6.1 ± 1.4 mlU/ml; p < 0.01), triglyceride (245.0 ± 39.9 vs. 193.0 ± 22.8 mg/dl; p < 0.01), and TNF-α (4.2 ± 0.7 vs. 3.0 ± 0.6 pg/ml; p < 0.001) levels, and HOMA-IR (2.0 ± 0.8 vs. 1.3 ± 0.3; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the hypertensive patients compared to the normotensive control group. There were positive correlations between TNF-α levels and body mass index (r = 0.64, p < 0.01), and triglyceride (r = 0.55 p = 0.02) levels in the whole study group. However, there was no correlation of either TNF-α or HOMA-IR. Conclusions: Our data revealed that hypertensive patients have insulin resistance and higher TNF-α levels, but there is no relation between TNF-α levels and insulin resistance. Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel.