Leisure-time physical activity and artery lumen diameters: a monozygotic co-twin control study.
Exercise is thought to increase the diameter of the conduit arteries supplying the muscles involved. We studied the effects of a physically active vs inactive lifestyle on artery diameters in monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs discordant over 30 years for leisure-time physical activity habits. In a population-based co-twin control study design, six middle-aged (50-65 years) same-sex MZ twin pairs with long-term discordance for physical activity were comprehensively identified from the Finnish Twin Cohort (TWINACTIVE study). Discordance was initially defined in 1975 and the same co-twin remained significantly more active during the 32-year follow-up. The main outcomes were arterial lumen diameters measured from maximal intensity projections of contrast-enhanced MR angiography images. Paired differences between active and inactive co-twins were studied. Compared with inactive members, active members of MZ twin pairs had larger diameters for the distal aorta and iliac and femoral arteries (P<0.05 for all comparisons). The mean intrapair differences in the diameters of the arteries in these locations were 19% or larger. No significant differences between active and inactive co-twins (P>0.2 for all comparisons) were found in the dimensions of the carotid arteries. Our genetically controlled study confirms that habitual physical activity during adulthood enlarges arteries in a site-specific manner.
Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
T
T
Leskinen
J-P
JP
Usenius
M
M
Alen
H
H
Kainulainen
J
J
Kaprio
U M
UM
Kujala
D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014430:Twins, Monozygotic