Inverse relationship between physical activity and arterial stiffness in adults with hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Physical activity has beneficial effects on arterial stiffness among healthy adults. There is a lack of data on this relationship in adults with hypertension. The majority of studies which have examined physical activity and arterial stiffness have used subjective measures of activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between objectively measured habitual physical activity and arterial stiffness in individuals with newly diagnosed essential hypertension.


METHODS
Adults attending an outpatient hypertension clinic were recruited into this cross sectional study. Physical activity was measured using a triaxial accelerometer. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx) were measured using applanation tonometry. Participant's full lipid profile and glucose were determined through the collection of a fasting blood sample.


RESULTS
Fifty-three adults [51(14) years, 26 male] participated, 16 of whom had the metabolic syndrome. Inactivity was positively correlated with PWV (r = .53, P < .001) and AIx (r = .48, P < .001). There were significant inverse associations between habitual physical activity of all intensities and both AIx and PWV. In stepwise regression, after adjusting for potential confounders, physical activity was a significant predictor of AIx and PWV.


CONCLUSIONS
Habitual physical activity of all intensities is associated with reduced arterial stiffness among adults with hypertension.
School of Medicine, Discipline of Physiotherapy, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Cuisle
C
O'Donovan
Fiona E
FE
Lithander
Tara
T
Raftery
John
J
Gormley
Azra
A
Mahmud
Juliette
J
Hussey
D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity; D000075222:Essential Hypertension; D015444:Exercise; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055815:Young Adult