Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Physical Activity, and Arterial Stiffness

Abstract

Abstract-Poor cardiorespiratory fitness and low physical activity have been identified as determinants of greater arterial stiffness, a mechanism that can partially explain the association of both variables with increased cardiovascular disease. However, the nature of these associations are not clear because cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity can both mediate and confound the associations of one another with arterial stiffness. This issue was therefore examined in a population-based cohort of young adults. Subjects included 405 young men and women participating in an ongoing longitudinal study, the Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project. Pulse wave velocity was used to determine arterial stiffness in 2 arterial segments (aortoiliac and aortodorsalis pedis) using a noninvasive optical method. Cardiovascular fitness was estimated with a submaximal cycle test of physical work capacity and physical activity was estimated using a modified Baecke questionnaire. Associations were investigated with the use of multiple linear regression models with adjustment for potential confounders and/or intermediate variables. Cardiorespiratory fitness and sports-related physical activity (but not leisure-and work-related physical activity) were inversely associated with arterial stiffness in young adults. The associations between sports-related physical activity and arterial stiffness were strongly mediated by cardiorespiratory fitness, whereas physical activity levels did not disturb the associations between cardiopulmonary fitness and arterial stiffness. These findings suggest that arterial stiffness-related benefits of exercise are most likely to accrue if exercise prescription in young adults targets improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness.

Comparison of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity in Japanese and Russians

“…On the other hand, it is known that smoking and lack of exercise are atherosclerotic risk factors (Boreham et al 2004;Eguchi et al 2004). We have no information about smoking rate or exercise frequency of subjects in this study.…”

Effects of Physical Activity and Aerobic Exercise Capacity on Aortic Stiffness in Patients With Untreated Hypertension

“…[13][14][15][16] Habitual aerobic-endurance exercise attenuates age-associated increases in arterial stiffness in healthy subjects. Aortic PWV increases with age, but the difference in aortic PWV between younger and older adults has been shown to be smaller in endurance-trained men, compared with recreationally inactive and sedentary men.…”

Cardiorespiratory Fitness is a Strong Predictor of the Cardio-ankle Vascular Index in Hypertensive Middle-aged and Elderly Japanese Men

“…A previous study failed to detect an independent association between CRF and arterial stiffening in healthy individuals, as noted in the present study 10) . However, an age-independent significant association has also been reported 6,11) . Fujie et al 32) reported that the carotid -stiffness values did not significantly differ according to the CRF levels in a healthy Japanese population (n 837, mean age: 44 1 years), whereas the -stiffness values were elevated only in the low-CRF individuals with a specific genetic component.…”