Flow-mediated vasodilatation; effect on cardiovascular function with and without fructose and sucralose in healthy, white European males

To assess whether flow-mediated dilatation [FMD] affected cardiovascular [CV] parameters after consuming fructose or sucralose. Data source: Finometer. Design of study: Randomized, cross-over, single-blind design. School of biomedical sciences, University of Nottingham, UK. July, 2009. Materials and Ten healthy, white European males were studied twice. A Finometer continuously recorded CV parameters. Following 30 min baseline, a BP cuff, around mid-point of right arm was inflated 50 mmHg above Systolic BP for 5 min. Upon deflation, FMD measurements were made. Volunteers then consumed 500 ml of fructose or sucralose containing drink. Forty min later, 2nd FMD was done. Pre-fructose FMD: SBP increased in late-occlusion and post-occlusion period [POP]. HR and CO decreased and SV and TPR increased during POP [P < 0.01 and 0.001]. Post-fructose: DBP rose [2 mmHg; P = 0.04] during occlusion; HR [P = 0.02] and CO [P < 0.05] increased whereas TPR decreased [0.023; P < 0.04] in recovery period. Pre-sucralose: SBP, DBP and MAP increased in POP and thereafter. Decreased HR and CO and increased TPR and SV were noted [P < 0.01 and 0.001]. Post-sucralose: SBP rose in POP and thereafter [5 mmHg; P < 0.01]; MAP [3 mmHg; P = 0.04] and SV [P = 0.05] increased in POP. Attenuated BP and TPR, after fructose, indicate fructose's possible vascular effects

Assessment of diurnal and ethnic influences on the systemic cardiovascular response to forearm occlusion in healthy white European and Pakistani males

To determine haemodynamic effects of inflation of a blood pressure cuff on right forearm of healthy, non-smoking, white European and Pakistani males and to identify ethnic differences in response. Twenty healthy white Europeans [WEU] and Pakistanis [PAK] were studied twice. During the experiment, volunteer rested in bed with a Finometer's finger cuff attached around middle phalanx of left hand's middle finger and brachial arterial cuff around ipsilateral upper arm, another cuff was placed around middle part of contralateral forearm. Following baseline recording for 15 min, right arm cuff inflated to 50 mmHg above systolic BP for 5 min, while recordings continued throughout this period and for 15 min thereafter, non-invasively. Lower baseline cardiac output [5.8 vs 6.5 l/min; P=0.04; [PAK]] and higher stroke volume [102 vs 96 ml; P=0.04; WEU]] were noted in afternoon compared to the morning. WEU had higher SV [102 ml] than PAK [90 ml] [P=0.03] in afternoon. During morning experiments, inflation of occlusion cuff resulted in 5% increase in TPR [0.054 units; P<0.001] and 2% decrease in SV [3 ml; P<0.01] from the baseline in PAK; WEU had an increase in DBP [2 mmHg; 3%; P<0.001] MAP [3 mmHg; 3%; P<0.001] and TPR [0.063 units; 3%; P<0.001]. Increases in DBP [2 mmHg; 3%; P<0.001] MAP [2 mmHg; 2%; P<0.001] [both groups] and TPR 0.046 units [4%; P<0.001[WEU]]; [0.041 units; 3%; P<0.01 [PAK]] and decreases in CI [283ml; 4%; P<0.001[WEU]] and SV [2.2ml; 2%; P< 0.001[WEU];2.6 ml; 2%;P<0.001 [PAK]] during occlusion were noted in the afternoon. There is no difference in baseline BP, CO, HR and TPR of WEU and PAK except for higher WEU SV in the afternoon. Inflation of the forearm occlusion cuff resulted in significant increase in BP, TPR and decrease in SV in both groups. Time of the day had no effect