One- and two-compartment minimal models detect similar alterations of glucose metabolism indexes in hypertension

A standard intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed in 10 nondiabetic patients with essential hypertension (H group) and 9 normotensive control subjects (N group). A 2-compartment minimal model (2CMM) of glucose kinetics was applied to estimate indexes of glucose effectiveness, , and insulin sensitivity, , by means of a maximum a posteriori (MAP) bayesian estimation technique. These estimates were contrasted to the and indexes provided by the classic minimal model (1CMM). In both the N group and the H group, the 2CMM underestimated the glucose effectiveness and overestimated the insulin sensitivity. In the H group, was, on average, 63% of (P > .05) and was 137% of (P > .05). In the N group was 67% of (P > .05) and was 134% of (P > .05). The 2CMM detected a reduction of approximately 40% (P > .05) and approximately 48% (P > .05) in and estimates, respectively, from the N group to the H group. Despite its reduced complexity, the 1CMM also detected a reduction of approximately 35% (P < .05) and approximately 49% (P < .05) in the and in indexes, respectively. Thus, the 1CMM and 2CMM showed a substantial equivalence in detecting a severe reduction in insulin sensitivity and impaired glucose effectiveness in hypertensive patients compared with normal.