Chronotropic response to exercise testing is associated with carotid atherosclerosis in healthy middle-aged men.
OBJECTIVE
Chronotropic incompetence, an attenuated heart rate (HR) response to exercise, is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality, but it is not known whether chronotropic incompetence is related to carotid atherosclerosis. The association between chronotropic incompetence and carotid atherosclerosis in 8567 (age 47.6+/-8.8 years) healthy men was examined.


RESULTS
Chronotropic incompetence was defined as the failure to achieve 85% of the age-predicted maximal HR (APMHR), <80% HR reserve (HRR), and chronotropic response index (CRI). Carotid atherosclerosis was defined, using B-mode ultrasonography, as stenosis >25% and/or intima-media thickness (IMT) of >1.2 mm. In multivariable adjusted logistic regression models, the subjects who achieved less than 85% of APMHR exhibited an odds ratio (OR) of 1.72 [95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.32-2.22] for carotid atherosclerosis. Subjects with <80% of HRR were 1.45 (95% CI: 1.14-1.84) times more likely to have carotid atherosclerosis after multivariate adjustment. Also, the OR of carotid atherosclerosis across quartiles of CRI (highest to lowest) was 1.51 (95% CI: 1.10-2.09) after multivariate adjustment.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the chronotropic response to exercise is associated with carotid atherosclerosis, independent of the established risk factors in healthy men, which could contribute to high incidence of cardiovascular diseases in subjects with chronotropic incompetence.
Exercise and Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Life Studies, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 112 Huff Hall, MC-586, 1206 S. Fourth St Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
Sae Young
SY
Jae
Bo
B
Fernhall
Kevin S
KS
Heffernan
Mira
M
Kang
Moon-Kyu
MK
Lee
Yoon-Ho
YH
Choi
Won Hah
WH
Park
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005080:Exercise Test; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers