title: Relationship between objectively measured physical activity and cardiovascular aging in the general population--the EVIDENT trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aging has been associated with an increase in arterial stiffness. We analyzed the relationship between regular physical activity and cardiovascular aging evaluated by the radial augmentation index (rAIx), ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI), pulse pressure (PP) and heart age in subjects without atherosclerotic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed including 1365 subjects from the EVIDENT trial (mean age 54.9±13.7 years; 60.3% women). As a measure of total volume of physical activity we used counts/minute recorded in an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X) that participants wore for seven days, collecting data in 60-sec epochs, and respondents with ≥4 valid days were retained for the analysis. Arterial stiffness was evaluated using measures of rAIx, AASI, and central and peripheral PP on the B-pro device. rAIx was adjusted to 75 heart rate(rAIx75). Cardiovascular risk and heart age was estimated by the Framingham Risk Score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median (IQR) of counts/min was 236.9 (176.3-307.8), rAIx75 90 (77-100), sleep PP 40 mmHg (33-47), central PP 39 mmHg (32-47) and heart age 57 years (45-73) and the mean±SD of the ASSI was 0.44±0.07. We found an inverse correlation between counts/minute and rAIx75 (r=-0.086; p<0.01), AASI (r=-0.146; p<0.001), heart age (r=-0.163; p<0.001) and peripherals PP. These associations were remained after controlling for potential confounders, except for rAIx75. In the multiple regression analysis, after adjustment, an inverse association persisted between counts/minute and AASI, sleep PP and heart age, but not with rAIx75. Accordingly, for every 100 higher counts/minute of accelerometer measures, both AASI and sleep PP would be lower by one measurement unit (beta=-0.979 and -1.031 respectively, p<0.001) and the estimated heart age by half year (beta=-0.525, p=0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular physical activity was inversely associated with parameters related to advanced cardiovascular aging after adjustment for potentially influencing variables.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01083082.
authors: The Alamedilla Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, USAL, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: Lgarciao@ono.com.
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: García-Ortiz
authors: The Alamedilla Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, USAL, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: donrecio@gmail.com.
authors: José I
authors: JI
authors: Recio-Rodríguez
authors: Division Sports and Exercise Medicine, Institute of Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: arno.schmidt-trucksaess@unibas.ch.
authors: Arno
authors: A
authors: Schmidt-Trucksäss
authors: Primary Health care Research Unit of Barcelona, Primary Healthcare University Research Institute IDIAP-Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: epuigdomenech@gmail.com.
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Puigdomenech-Puig
authors: Social and Health Care Research Center, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain. Electronic address: vicente.martinez@uclm.es.
authors: Vicente
authors: V
authors: Martínez-Vizcaíno
authors: Casa de Barco Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, Valladolid, Spain. Electronic address: carmenferal@gmail.com.
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Fernández-Alonso
authors: Torre Ramona Health Center, Aragón Health Service, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: natigonviejo@gmail.com.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Rubio-Galan
authors: The Alamedilla Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, USAL, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: cagudoconde@yahoo.es.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Agudo-Conde
authors: The Alamedilla Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, USAL, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: carpatino@usal.es.
authors: Maria C
authors: MC
authors: Patino-Alonso
authors: The Alamedilla Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, USAL, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: emiliano@usal.es.
authors: Emiliano
authors: E
authors: Rodríguez-Sánchez
authors: The Alamedilla Health Center, Castilla y León Health Service-SACYL, USAL, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address: magomez@usal.es.
authors: Manuel A
authors: MA
authors: Gómez-Marcos
mesh_terms: D056044:Actigraphy; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Ambulatory arterial stiffness index; Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Arterial stiffness; Cardiovascular aging; Physical activity