Lifelong physical training prevents the age-related impairment of heart rate variability and exercise capacity in elderly people.
OBJECTIVE
Aging is associated with a reduction on heart rate variability (HRV) and working capacity. Aim of this study was to evaluate in a group of elite master athletes the effect of a lifelong history of endurance running on HRV and exercise working capacity.


METHODS
Twenty athletes (males, age 68.5+/-4.5 years) who practiced endurance running for at least 40 years, and 20 age-sex-matched control subjects with sedentary lifestyle were studied. All the participants underwent a maximal stepwise electrocardiogram (ECG) on effort (work-rate increments of 25 Watts every 2 min) and a 24-hour ECG monitoring.


RESULTS
All the time domain measures of HRV and the LF and HF powers were significantly higher in elderly athletes than in sedentary subjects (P<0.001), while the LF/HF ratio was comparable between the 2 groups. Athletes exhibited significantly higher workload than controls (1610+/-489 vs 687+/-236 W, P<0.0001). Both the groups achieved, at maximum workload, similar heart rate (142+/-10 vs 138+/-18 bpm, ns), systolic blood pressure (226+/-18 vs 220+/-16 mmHg, ns), and rate-pressure product (32,596+/-2952 vs 30,838+/-3675, ns). Maximum work-rate attained in athletes was 225 W. By contrast, none of the controls reached a work-rate higher than 150 W. In the whole group we also showed a positive correlation between the time domain HRV parameter SDNN and maximum workload (r=0.58, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term endurance training induces in elderly subjects an increased HRV and a higher exercise working capacity, which are well-established predictors of cardiovascular and overall mortality.
Galetta
F
F
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. fgaletta@med.unipi.it
Franzoni
F
F
Femia
F R
FR
Roccella
N
N
Pentimone
F
F
Santoro
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*