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Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2010; 118(1): 57-60
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1233453
Article

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Alcohol Acutely Increases Vascular Reactivity together with Insulin Sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetic Men

G. Schaller1 , S. Kretschmer2 , G. Gouya1 , D. G. Haider1 , 2 , F. Mittermayer1 , M. Riedl2 , O. Wagner3 , G. Pacini4 , M. Wolzt1 , 2 , B. Ludvik2
  • 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
  • 2Department of Medicine III, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
  • 3Department of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Medical University of Vienna, Austria.
  • 4Metabolic Unit, Institute of Biomedical Engineering (ISIB–CNR), Padova, Italy.
Further Information

Publication History

received 08.02.2009 first decision 03.06.2009

accepted 25.06.2009

Publication Date:
15 October 2009 (online)

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Abstract

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with increased insulin sensitivity and reduced cardiovascular risk. We hypothesized that this relates to a direct effect of alcohol and therefore investigated whether acute alcohol intake altered insulin sensitivity or endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes. In an open-label two period design, the effect of a single oral dose of 40 g of alcohol (168 ml 40% vodka) on an insulin-modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) and on endothelium-dependent (flow mediated, FMD) or endothelium-independent (glyceroltrinitrate (GTN)-induced) vasodilation of the brachial artery measured by ultrasound was studied. Experiments were carried out in twelve male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (64±6 years, body mass index 28.4±5.7 kg/m2). Baseline insulin sensitivity index (SI) was 1.10±0.34 min−1.μU−1.ml, baseline FMD was +4.1±3.0%, and GTN-induced vasodilation +7.4±2.3% from resting brachial artery diameter. Acute alcohol intake increased alcohol plasma levels to 0.33±0.04‰, SI to 1.86±0.45 min−1.μU−1.ml (p<0.05), and FMD to +8.2±2.8% (p<0.05), while GTN-induced dilation remained unchanged. No relationship was detectable between the observed changes. We conclude that alcohol intake acutely increases endothelium-dependent brachial ar-tery vasodilation in patients with type 2 diabetes together with insulin sensitivity. This acute effect might explain some beneficial effects of low alcohol consumption in epidemiological observations.

Key words

alcohol - vascular reactivity - insulin sensitivity - type 2 diabetes

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Correspondence

B. LudvikMD 

Department of Medicine III

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Medical University of Vienna

Allgemeines Krankenhaus Wien

Währinger Gürtel 18–20

1090 Wien

Austria

Phone: (+43-1) 40400 4364

Fax: (+43-1) 405 93 234

Email: bernhard.ludvik@meduniwien.ac.at