No relationship between cerebral blood flow velocity and cerebrovascular reserve capacity and contemporaneously measured glucose and insulin concentrations in diabetes mellitus

Acta Diabetol. 1999 Dec;36(4):191-5. doi: 10.1007/s005920050166.

Abstract

Blood glucose and insulin concentrations have been reported to influence cerebral hemodynamics. We studied the relationship between actual blood glucose and insulin concentrations and resting cerebral blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery and cerebrovascular reserve capacity after acetazolamide stimulation. Thirty-six insulin-dependent diabetic patients in a state of good glycemic control were studied. Blood samples were taken for determination of glucose and insulin concentrations. Subsequently we measured resting cerebral blood flow velocities in supine position using transcranial Doppler, administered 1 g acetazolamide intravenously, and repeated the measurements after 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes. Cerebrovascular reserve was calculated as the maximal percent increase after acetazolamide stimulation. Multiple regression was used for statistical analysis. Blood glucose levels were not correlated with resting blood flow velocity (R = 0.21, p = 0.22) nor cerebrovascular reserve capacity (R = 0.17, p = 0.32). Similarly, no correlation was found between insulin concentrations, resting cerebral blood flow velocity (R = 0.24, p = 0.22) and cerebrovascular reserve (R = 0.26, p = 0.24). Studying patients with long-term (> 10 years) and short-term (</= 10 years) disease duration yielded the same lack of correlation. We conclude that there is no significant correlation between contemporaneously measured glucose and insulin concentrations and either cerebral blood flow velocity or cerebrovascular reserve capacity in the middle cerebral artery in type 1 diabetic patients with good control.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetazolamide
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Albuminuria
  • Blood Flow Velocity / physiology*
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism*
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation / physiology*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / analysis
  • Humans
  • Insulin / blood*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Middle Cerebral Artery / drug effects
  • Middle Cerebral Artery / physiopathology
  • Supine Position
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • Insulin
  • Acetazolamide