Ascorbate Restores Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation Impaired by Acute Hyperglycemia in Humans

Abstract

Background —Endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired in patients with insulin-dependent and non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and restored by vitamin C administration, implicating a causative role for oxidant stress. Hyperglycemia per se attenuates endothelium-dependent vasodilation in healthy subjects. Accordingly, this study investigated whether impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation caused by hyperglycemia in nondiabetic humans is restored by administration of the antioxidant vitamin C. Methods and Results —Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was measured by incremental brachial artery administration of methacholine chloride (0.3 to 10 μg/min) during euglycemia, after 6 hours of hyperglycemia (300 mg/dL) created by dextrose (50%) intra-arterial infusion, and with coadministration of vitamin C (24 mg/min) during hyperglycemia. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation was significantly diminished by hyperglycemia ( P =0.02 by ANOVA) and restored by vitamin C ( P =0.04). In contrast, endothelium-dependent vasodilation was not affected by equimolar infusions of mannitol, with and without vitamin C coinfusion ( P =NS). Endothelium-independent vasodilation was measured by incremental infusion of verapamil chloride (10 to 300 μg/min) without and with coadministration of N G -monomethyl- l -arginine (L-NMMA). In the absence of L-NMMA, endothelium-independent vasodilation was not significantly altered during hyperglycemia ( P =NS) but was augmented by vitamin C ( P =0.04). The coadministration of L-NMMA eliminated the vitamin C–related augmentation in verapamil-mediated vasodilation. Conclusions —Vitamin C administration restores endothelium-dependent vasodilation impaired by acute hyperglycemia in healthy humans in vivo. These findings suggest that hyperglycemia may contribute in part to impaired vascular function through production of superoxide anion.