Muscular strength is inversely associated with aortic stiffness in young men.
Muscular strength is associated with reduced mortality. Paradoxically, strength training may increase central artery stiffness, a predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the relationship between muscular strength and central arterial stiffness has yet to be defined.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between muscular strength and central arterial stiffness in young men.


METHODS
Central and peripheral pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index, muscular strength, and aerobic capacity (V O2peak) were measured in 79 young men (mean +/- SD, age = 23 +/- 4 yr). Height, weight, and brachial blood pressure were also recorded. Muscular strength was determined using a one-repetition maximum bench press and normalized to bodyweight. Spearman correlations were used to determine the relationships between relative strength, aerobic fitness, and hemodynamic/vascular measures.


RESULTS
There was a significant negative correlation between central PWV and strength (r = -0.222, P < 0.05). The relationship remained significant when controlling for aerobic fitness (r = -0.189, P < 0.05). Muscular strength was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in men with low central PWV (5.2 +/- 0.4 m.s) compared with men with high central PWV (6.6 +/- 0.4 m.s).


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that there is a significant inverse association between muscular strength and aortic stiffness independent of aerobic fitness.
Fahs
Christopher A
CA
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.
Heffernan
Kevin S
KS
Ranadive
Sushant
S
Jae
Sae Young
SY
Fernhall
Bo
B
D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004548:Elasticity; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training; D014655:Vascular Resistance; D055815:Young Adult