Tai Chi Chuan training is associated with enhanced endothelium-dependent dilation in skin vasculature of healthy older men.
OBJECTIVE
The vascular endothelium modulates vascular tone by synthesizing and metabolizing vasoactive substances. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation declines with age. This study investigated whether Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) training could enhance endothelial function in the skin vasculature of older men.


METHODS
Community setting.


METHODS
Basic hemodynamic characteristics and skin vascular response to endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilators were studied.


METHODS
Ten older men who practiced TCC, 10 older healthy sedentary men, and 12 younger healthy sedentary men. The older TCC subjects had practiced classical Yang TCC for a mean +/- standard deviation of 11.2 +/- 3.4 years; mean attendance was 5.1 +/- 1.8 times weekly. Sedentary subjects had not participated in any regular exercise training for at least 5 years.


METHODS
Different doses of 1% acetylcholine (ACh) and 1% sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were iontophoretically applied to the skin of subjects' lower legs, and cutaneous microvascular perfusion responses were determined by laser doppler measurements. Additionally, arterial and venous hemodynamic variables were measured by impedance plethysmograph.


RESULTS
The older TCC group had higher lower leg arterial blood flow (LABF); LABF in response to reactive hyperemia; and lower leg venous capacity, tone and blood flow than their sedentary counterparts, but the older TCC group displayed similar arterial and venous hemodynamic variables to the younger sedentary group. The younger sedentary group had a higher ACh-induced cutaneous perfusion and a higher ratio of ACh- to SNP-induced cutaneous perfusion than the two older groups. The older TCC group showed a higher ACh-induced cutaneous perfusion and a higher ratio of ACh- to SNP-induced cutaneous perfusion than the older sedentary group. Skin vascular responses to SNP did not differ significantly between the three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Regular practice of TCC is associated with enhanced endothelium-dependent dilation in skin vasculature of older individuals. Moreover, TCC training may delay the age-related decline of venous compliance and hyperemic arterial response.
Department of Physical Therapy Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Haw 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 333, Taiwan, ROC. s5492@mail.cgu.edu.tw
Jong-Shyan
JS
Wang
Ching
C
Lan
Ssu-Yuan
SY
Chen
May-Kuen
MK
Wong
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D010992:Plethysmography, Impedance; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D026302:Tai Ji; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*