title: Effects of estrogen therapy and aerobic training on sympathetic activity and hemodynamics in healthy postmenopausal women: a double-blind randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the isolated and associated effects of aerobic training and estrogen therapy on sympathetic nerve activity and hemodynamics in healthy postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five postmenopausal women (mean [SD] age, 51 [3] y) were randomly divided into four groups: sedentary-placebo (SED-PLA; n = 11), sedentary-estrogen therapy (SED-ET; n = 14), aerobic training-placebo (AT-PLA; n = 12), and aerobic training-estrogen therapy (AT-ET; n = 8). The ET groups received oral estradiol valerate (1 mg/d), whereas the PLA groups received placebo. The AT groups performed aerobic exercise three times a week on a cycle ergometer for 50 minutes, whereas the SED groups remained sedentary. All participants were evaluated before and after 6 months. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; microneurography), forearm blood flow (plethysmography), blood pressure (oscillometry), and heart rate (HR) were measured at rest for 10 minutes. Data were analyzed by three-way analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Estrogen administration itself did not change any of the studied parameters. AT improved forearm blood flow (AT-PLA, 2.02 [0.85] vs 2.92 [1.65] mL min(-1) 100 mL(-1), P = 0.03; AT-ET, 1.68 [1.11] vs 2.27 [0.76] mL min(-1) 100 mL(-1), P = 0.03), reduced MSNA in the AT-PLA group (39 [6] vs 34 [5] bursts/min(-1), P = 0.01), and decreased HR in the AT-ET group (65 [8] vs 62 [7] beats/min, P = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AT reduces sympathetic nerve activity and improves muscle blood flow in healthy hysterectomized postmenopausal women. Moreover, AT decreases HR when combined with ET. However, ET abolishes the reducing effect of AT on MSNA.
authors.affiliation: From the 1Hypertension Unit, General Hospital, and 2Exercise Hemodynamic Laboratory, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; 3Center for Sport and Physical Education, State University of Londrina, Londrina, Brazil; and 4Gynecology and Climacteric Service, General Hospital, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oneda
authors.forename: Crivaldo G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Cláudia L M
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Forjaz
authors.forename: Tatiana G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Fernanda R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Bernardo
authors.forename: Josiane Lima
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: de Gusmão
authors.forename: Luiz Gustavo
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Labes
authors.forename: Sandra B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Abrahão
authors.forename: Décio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mion
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fonseca
authors.forename: Taís
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tinucci
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D004958:Estradiol