Peripheral Arterial Stiffness is Associated with Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Athletes

 

 Buy Article Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Increased central arterial stiffness is associated with decreased maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O₂max). Endurance exercise training improves arterial function throughout the whole body, but the relationship between central and peripheral arterial stiffness and V̇O₂max is unknown. The present study investigated the relationship between central and peripheral arterial stiffness and V̇O₂max in endurance-trained athletes. Twenty-one young male endurance-trained athletes and 12 sedentary controls were included in this study. Resting values for carotid-femoral velocity and femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity were obtained to assess central and peripheral arterial stiffness, respectively. V̇O₂max was obtained by incremental cycle ergometer testing. Both carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (P=0.019) and femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity (P=0.028) were lower in athletes than in controls. V̇O₂max was significantly higher in athletes compared to controls (P<0.001). Significant correlations were found between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity and V̇O₂max (r=–0.510, P=0.018) and between femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity and V̇O₂max (r=–0.472, P=0.031) in athletes. However, no correlations were evident in controls. These results suggest that higher V̇O₂max is associated with lower peripheral arterial stiffness in addition to central arterial stiffness among endurance-trained athletes.

Publication History

Received: 02 August 2022

Accepted: 21 February 2023

Article published online:
30 May 2023

© 2023. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

• References

• 1 Plowman SA, Smith DL. Exercise Physiology: For Health, Fitness, and Performance. 4^th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2014
  Google Scholar
• 2 Billat VL, Demarle A, Slawinski J. et al. Physical and training characteristics of top-class marathon runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001; 33: 2089-2097
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 3 Lundby C, Montero D, Joyner MJ. Biology of VO2max: looking under the physiology lamp. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2017; 220: 218-228
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 4 Tomoto T, Maeda S, Sugawara J. Relation between arterial stiffness and aerobic capacity: Importance of proximal aortic stiffness. Eur J Sport Sci 2017; 17: 571-575
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 5 Boreham CA, Ferreira I, Twisk JW. et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness, physical activity, and arterial stiffness: The Northern Ireland young hearts project. Hypertension 2004; 44: 721-726
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 6 Namgoong H, Lee D, Hwang MH. et al. The relationship between arterial stiffness and maximal oxygen consumption in healthy young adults. J Exerc Sci Fit 2018; 16: 73-77
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 7 Ashor AW, Lara J, Siervo M. et al. Effects of exercise modalities on arterial stiffness and wave reflection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One 2014; 9: e110034
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 8 Hashimoto Y, Okamoto T. Arterial stiffness and left ventricular diastolic function in endurance athletes. Int J Sports Med 2021; 42: 497-505
  PubMedGoogle Scholar
• 9 Snell PG, Martin WH, Buckey JC. et al. Maximal vascular leg conductance in trained and untrained men. J Appl Physiol (1985) 1987; 62: 606-610
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 10 Boushel R, Langberg H, Green S. et al. Blood flow and oxygenation in peritendinous tissue and calf muscle during dynamic exercise in humans. J Physiol 2000; 524: 305-313
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 11 Hammer SM, Hammond ST, Parr SK. et al. Influence of muscular contraction on vascular conductance during exercise above versus below critical power. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2021; 293: 103718
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 12 Saltin B, Calbet JAL, Wagner PD. Point: In health and in a normoxic environment, V̇O2max is limited primarily by cardiac output and locomotor muscle blood flow. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2006; 100: 744-748
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 13 Ridout SJ, Parker BA, Smithmyer SL. et al. Age and sex influence the balance between maximal cardiac output and peripheral vascular reserve. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2010; 108: 483-489
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 14 Christiansen D, Eibye K, Hostrup M. et al. Training with blood flow restriction increases femoral artery diameter and thigh oxygen delivery during knee-extensor exercise in recreationally trained men. J Physiol 2020; 598: 2337-2353
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 15 Fernberg U, Fernström M, Hurtig-Wennlöf A. Arterial stiffness is associated to cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index in young Swedish adults: The Lifestyle, Biomarkers, and Atherosclerosis study. Eur J Prev Cardiol 2017; 24: 1809-1818
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 16 Otsuki T, Maeda S, Iemitsu M. et al. Relationship between arterial stiffness and athletic training programs in young adult men. Am J Hypertens 2007; 20: 967-973
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 17 Sugawara J, Hayashi K, Yokoi T. et al. Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity: An index of central arterial stiffness?. J Hum Hypertens 2005; 19: 401-406
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 18 Harriss DJ, Jones C, MacSween A. Ethical standards in sport and exercise science research: 2022 update. Int J Sports Med 2022; 43: 1065-1070
  Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 19 Kobayashi R, Yoshida S, Okamoto T. Arterial stiffness after glucose ingestion in exercise-trained versus untrained men. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2015; 40: 1151-1156
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 20 Williams B, Mancia G, Spiering W. et al. 2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension. Eur Heart J 2018: 3021-3104
  PubMedGoogle Scholar
• 21 Willemet M, Chowienczyk P, Alastruey J. A database of virtual healthy subjects to assess the accuracy of foot-to-foot pulse wave velocities for estimation of aortic stiffness. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2015; 309: H663-H675
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 22 Yamato Y, Hasegawa N, Sato K. et al. Acute effect of static stretching exercise on arterial stiffness in healthy young adults. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2016; 95: 764-770
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 23 Charry D, Gouskova N, Meyer ML. et al. Arterial stiffness and contralateral differences in blood pressure: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. J Clin Hypertens 2022; 24: 878-884
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 24 The jamovi project. jamovi. (Version 1.6). 2021
  PubMed
• 25 R Core Team. R: A Language and environment for statistical computing. (Version 4.0). 2020
  PubMed
• 26 Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988
  Google Scholar
• 27 Kerby DS. The simple difference formula: An approach to teaching nonparametric correlation. Compr Psychol 2014; 3: 1-9
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 28 Mäki-petäjä KM, Barrett SML, Evans SV. et al. The role of the autonomic nervous system in the regulation of aortic stiffness. Hypertension 2016; 68: 1290-1297
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 29 Ferreira I, Twisk JWR, Stehouwer CDA. et al. Longitudinal changes in V̇ O2max: Associations with carotid IMT and arterial stiffness. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2003; 35: 1670-1678
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 30 Florescu M, Stoicescu C, Magda S. et al. “Supranormal” cardiac function in athletes related to better arterial and endothelial function. Echocardiography 2010; 27: 659-667
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 31 Matsuda M, Nosaka T, Sato M. et al. Effects of physical exercise on the elasticity and elastic components of the rat aorta. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1993; 66: 122-126
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 32 Maeda S, Miyauchi T, Kakiyama T. et al. Effects of exercise training of 8 weeks and detraining on plasma levels of endothelium-derived factors, endothelin-1 and nitric oxide, in healthy young humans. Life Sci 2001; 69: 1005-1016
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 33 Bourque SL, Davidge ST, Adams MA. The interaction between endothelin-1 and nitric oxide in the vasculature: New perspectives. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2011; 300: R1288-R1295
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 34 Cook JN, DeVan AE, Schleifer JL. et al. Arterial compliance of rowers: Implications for combined aerobic and strength training on arterial elasticity. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2006; 290: H1596-H1600
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 35 Palmieri V, Palmieri EA, Arezzi E. et al. Peak exercise oxygen uptake and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function and arterial mechanics in healthy young men. Eur J Appl Physiol 2004; 91: 664-668
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 36 Steding K, Engblom H, Buhre T. et al. Relation between cardiac dimensions and peak oxygen uptake. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 2010; 12: 8
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 37 Kolh P, D’Orio V, Lambermont B. et al. Increased aortic compliance maintains left ventricular performance at lower energetic cost. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2000; 17: 272-278
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 38 Tomoto T, Sugawara J, Hirasawa A. et al. Impact of short-term training camp on arterial stiffness in endurance runners. J Physiol Sci 2015; 65: 445-449
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 39 Coates AM, Millar PJ, Burr JF. Blunted cardiac output from overtraining is related to increased arterial stiffness. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2018; 50: 2459-2464
  PubMedGoogle Scholar
• 40 Shibata S, Fujimoto N, Hastings JL. et al. The effect of lifelong exercise frequency on arterial stiffness. J Physiol 2018; 596: 2783-2795
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 41 Van De Laar RJ, Ferreira I, Van Mechelen W. et al. Habitual physical activity and peripheral arterial compliance in young adults: The Amsterdam growth and health longitudinal study. Am J Hypertens 2011; 24: 200-208
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 42 Karabulut M, Esparza B, Dowllah IM. et al. The impact of low-intensity blood flow restriction endurance training on aerobic capacity, hemodynamics, and arterial stiffness. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 2021; 61: 877-884
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 43 Rakobowchuk M, Tanguay S, Burgomaster KA. et al. Sprint interval and traditional endurance training induce similar improvements in peripheral arterial stiffness and flow-mediated dilation in healthy humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2008; 295: R236-R242
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 44 Rud B, Foss O, Krustrup P. et al. One-legged endurance training: Leg blood flow and oxygen extraction during cycling exercise. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2012; 205: 177-185
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 45 Dinenno FA, Tanaka H, Monahan KD. et al. Regular endurance exercise induces expansive arterial remodelling in the trained limbs of healthy men. J Physiol 2001; 534: 287-295
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 46 Beck DT, Martin JS, Casey DP. et al. Exercise training reduces peripheral arterial stiffness and myocardial oxygen demand in young prehypertensive subjects. Am J Hypertens 2013; 26: 1093-1102
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 47 Hambrecht R, Gielen S, Linke A. et al. Effects of exercise training on left ventricular function and peripheral resistance in patients with chronic heart failure: A randomized trial. JAMA 2000; 283: 3095-3101
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 48 Okamoto T, Kobayashi R, Hashimoto Y. et al. Is individual day-to-day variation of arterial stiffness associated with variation of maximal aerobic performance?. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2021; 13: 4
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 49 Tanaka H, Dinenno FA, Monahan KD. et al. Aging, habitual exercise, and dynamic arterial compliance. Circulation 2000; 102: 1270-1275
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 50 Gledhill N, Cox D, Jamnik R. Endurance athletes’ stroke volume does not plateau: major advantage is diastolic function. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1994; 26: 1116-1121
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 51 Coates AM, Millar PJ, Burr JF. Blunted cardiac output from overtraining is related to increased arterial stiffness. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2018; 50: 2459-2464
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 52 Belz GG. Elastic properties and Windkessel function of the human aorta. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 1995; 9: 73-83
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 53 Salerni S, Di Francescomarino S, Cadeddu C. et al. The different role of sex hormones on female cardiovascular physiology and function: Not only oestrogens. Eur J Clin Invest 2015; 45: 634-645
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 54 Diaz-Canestro C, Montero D. The impact of sex on left ventricular cardiac adaptations to endurance training: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med 2020; 50: 1501-1513
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 55 Vlachopoulos C, Kardara D, Anastasakis A. et al. Arterial stiffness and wave reflections in marathon runners. Am J Hypertens 2010; 23: 974-979
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
• 56 Burr JF, Drury CT, Phillips AA. et al. Long-term ultra-marathon running and arterial compliance. J Sci Med Sport 2014; 17: 322-325
  CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar