Fig. 1

Forearm vascular reactivity to a ACh, with or without the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor L-NMMA (8 μmol/min), or b SNP, as measured by bilateral venous occlusion plethysmography in subjects without (n = 18) or with (n = 19) metabolic syndrome. FBF was measured simultaneously in subjects infused with Ach (closed circles), SNP (closed circles) or Ach plus L-NMMA (gray circles) and non-infused arms (open circles) using bilateral venous occlusion plethysmography. FBF forearm blood flow, ACh acetylcholine, L-NMMA N ^G-monomethyl-l-arginine, SNP sodium nitroprusside. Data are expressed as mean ± SD