NO ACUTE EFFECTS OF SMOKING AND NICOTINE NASAL SPRAY ON LIPOLYSIS MEASURED BY SUBCUTANEOUS MICRODIALYSIS

Smoking is associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and marke rs of the insulin resistance syndrome. This study investigated adipose tissue lipolysis in situ by subcutaneous microdialysis twice in 10 he althy, male smokers after smoking four cigarettes over 2 h and after t he administration of an equal amount of nicotine given as nasal spray (NNS). Glucose and insulin levels, in situ lipolysis and adipose tissu e blood flow were studied in the post-absorptive state and after a 75- g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Post-absorptively, acute smoking and NNS increased neither subcutaneous adipose tissue glycerol produc tion nor plasma free fatty acid (FFA) or glycerol levels. After the OG TT, plasma insulin and lactate levels were significantly higher after smoking, whereas FFA levels were higher after NNS. Normal smoking or t he administration of a normal dose of NNS caused only minor metabolic changes. Thus, it does not seem likely that increased lipolysis is an important contributor to the dyslipidaemia seen in smokers.