title: Ultra-endurance sports have no negative impact on indices of arterial stiffness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Marathon running has been linked with higher arterial stiffness. Blood pressure is a major contributor to pulse wave velocity (PWV). We examined indices of arterial stiffness with a blood pressure-independent method in marathon runners and ultra-endurance athletes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male normotensive amateur runners were allocated to three groups according to former participation in competitions: group I (recreational athletes), group II (marathon runners) and group III (ultra-endurance athletes). Indices of arterial stiffness were measured with a non-invasive device (VaSera VS-1500N, Fukuda Denshi, Japan) to determine the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI, primary endpoint) and brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV). Lifetime training hours were calculated. Cumulative competitions were expressed as marathon equivalents. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine predictors for CAVI and baPWV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Measurements of arterial stiffness were performed in 51 subjects (mean age 44.6 ± 1.2 years): group I (n = 16), group II (n = 19) and group III (n = 16). No between-group differences existed in age, anthropometric characteristics and resting BP. CAVI and baPWV were comparable between all groups (P = 0.604 and P = 0.947, respectively). In linear regression analysis, age was the only independent predictor for CAVI (R(2) = 0.239, β = 0.455, P = 0.001). Systolic BP was significantly associated with baPWV (R(2) = 0.225, β = 0.403, P = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In middle-aged normotensive athletes marathon running and ultra-endurance sports had no negative impact on arterial stiffness.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Prevention, Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine, Swiss Cardiovascular Center, Inselspital, University Hospital and University of Bern, 3010, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Radtke
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Trucksäss
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saner
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology*; D059289:Vascular Stiffness