Dimensions and wall force development capacity of human pial arteries fromnormotensives is not altered in obesity

OBJECTIVE: The dimensions and maximum wall tension capacity of segments of human pial arteries from normotensive obese and non-obese patients were com pared. DESIGN: Segment size was assessed by quantitative morphometry of fixed sect ions and wall force by in vitro myography. SUBJECTS: Twenty normotensive non-obese and 13 normotensive obese humans bo dy mass index (BMI) 22.4 +/-0.5 and 33.9 +/-1.7 kg/m(2), respectively were studied. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the perimeter of the outer medial border, the smoothed out length of the internal elastic lamina, the ratios of media thickness to area and lumen diameter and the maximum wall f orce development between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Obesity per se is not associated with initial dimensional chang es nor capacity to develop wall tension that might lead to the emergence of hypertension.