Lenzlinger S1, Deiseroth A1, Streese L1, Wuest R1, Infanger D1, Schmidt-Trucksaess A1, Hanssen H1
1University of Basel, Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Basel, Switzerland
Background: Arterial stiffness (AST) is a main determinant of cardiovascular mortality. The gold standard measurement for AST is the measurement of the central pulse wave velocity (cPWV). Lifelong physical activity (PA) is considered to decrease age-related progression of AST but short-term effects of exercise on AST remain unclear.
Purpose: We investigated the effects of long-term PA and short-term high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on AST in the elderly.
Methods: Individuals between 50-80 years were assigned to three groups according to their PA and CV risk profile: healthy active (HA), healthy sedentary (HS) or sedentary at risk (SR). cPWV was measured by applanation tonometry. PA data were collected using objective accelerometry and self-reported questionnaires. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was assessed as maximal oxygen uptake. Furthermore, SR were randomized to either 12 weeks of walking-based HIIT or standard recommendations.
Results: 147 subjects (mean age 59±7 years) were allocated into 35 HA, 33 HS and 79 SR. Higher CRF was significantly associated with lower cPWV and VO2max explained 18% of the variance in cPWV in all participants after adjustment for age and sex. An increase of 10 ml/min/kg in VO2max was associated with a decrease of cPWV by 0.8 m/s (p 0.001). cPWV increased with an increasing number of risk factors. cPWV was higher in SR (8.2±1.4 m/s) compared to HS (7.5±1.6 m/s) and HA (7.0±1.1 m/s; p 0.001). 12 weeks of HIIT did not change indices of AST in SR, although CRF significantly improved.
Conclusion(s): Lifelong but not short-term exercise is associated with reduced AST in healthy and diseased elderly. Reductions of AST following short-term exercise seem to depend on an attendant decrease of blood pressure. Longer-term exercise treatment is indicated to reverse or postpone age- and disease-related alterations of AST.
Implications: The study demonstrates the importance of and need for specific physical activity programs for seniors to achieve healthier aging as a long- term goal. Furthermore, the results of our study help to give information about the influence of long-term PA and effects of short-term exercise interventions on large artery structure and function.
Keywords: aging, physical exercise, arterial stiffness
Funding acknowledgements: Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), a competitive governmental funding body (grant number: 159518/1).
Purpose: We investigated the effects of long-term PA and short-term high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on AST in the elderly.
Methods: Individuals between 50-80 years were assigned to three groups according to their PA and CV risk profile: healthy active (HA), healthy sedentary (HS) or sedentary at risk (SR). cPWV was measured by applanation tonometry. PA data were collected using objective accelerometry and self-reported questionnaires. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was assessed as maximal oxygen uptake. Furthermore, SR were randomized to either 12 weeks of walking-based HIIT or standard recommendations.
Results: 147 subjects (mean age 59±7 years) were allocated into 35 HA, 33 HS and 79 SR. Higher CRF was significantly associated with lower cPWV and VO2max explained 18% of the variance in cPWV in all participants after adjustment for age and sex. An increase of 10 ml/min/kg in VO2max was associated with a decrease of cPWV by 0.8 m/s (p 0.001). cPWV increased with an increasing number of risk factors. cPWV was higher in SR (8.2±1.4 m/s) compared to HS (7.5±1.6 m/s) and HA (7.0±1.1 m/s; p 0.001). 12 weeks of HIIT did not change indices of AST in SR, although CRF significantly improved.
Conclusion(s): Lifelong but not short-term exercise is associated with reduced AST in healthy and diseased elderly. Reductions of AST following short-term exercise seem to depend on an attendant decrease of blood pressure. Longer-term exercise treatment is indicated to reverse or postpone age- and disease-related alterations of AST.
Implications: The study demonstrates the importance of and need for specific physical activity programs for seniors to achieve healthier aging as a long- term goal. Furthermore, the results of our study help to give information about the influence of long-term PA and effects of short-term exercise interventions on large artery structure and function.
Keywords: aging, physical exercise, arterial stiffness
Funding acknowledgements: Funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), a competitive governmental funding body (grant number: 159518/1).
Topic: Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing; Older people; Cardiorespiratory
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health
Ethics committee: Ethics Committee of Northwest and Central Switzerland
Ethics number: EKNZ 2015-351
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
