CARDIOVASCULAR AND HORMONAL RESPONSES TO COLD PRESSOR TEST IN INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETIC ADOLESCENTS WITH MICROALBUMINURIA

Cardiovascular responses to cold pressor test and associated changes i n blood concentrations of renin, aldosterone, and catecholamines were measured in 11 type I diabetic patients with microaluminuria; 11 type I diabetic patients with normoalbuminuria matched for age, duration of diabetes, metabolic control; and in nine normal control subjects. Hea rt rate, renin, aldosterone, and catecholamines concentrations in diab etic patients and controls at baseline were similar, but higher mean b lood pressure was evident in microalbuminuric than normoalbuminuric pa tients (p < 0.01) and controls (p < 0.05). Heart rate and mean blood p ressure during cold pressor test in control subjects and type I diabet ic patients increased significantly but similarly, regardless of the p resence of microalbuminuria. Catecholamines, but not renin-aldosterone release, was associated to blood pressure modifications during the te st. Peak values of mean blood pressure induced by cold test were posit ively correlated to baseline values in control subjects (r = 0.658, p < 0.05) and normoalbuminuric (r = 0.725, p < 0.01), but not microalbum inuric diabetics. These data suggest that the higher blood-pressure va lues at rest observed in microalbuminuric than normoalbuminuric diabet ics are not associated with a higher cardiovascular response to cold h ypertensive stimulus. (Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications 8;2:8 4-88, 1994.)