title: Regular physical activity is associated with improved small artery distensibility in young to middle-age stage 1 hypertensives.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of physical activity with small artery elasticity in the early stage of hypertension. We examined 366 young-to-middle-age stage 1 hypertensives (mean blood pressure 145.6±10.3/92.5±5.8 mmHg), divided into two categories of physical activity, sedentary (n=264) and non-sedentary (n=102) subjects. The augmentation index was measured using the Specaway DAT System. Small artery compliance (C2) was measured by applanation tonometry, at the radial artery, with an HDI CR2000 device. After 6 years of follow-up, arterial distensibility assessment was repeated in 151 subjects. Heart rate was lower in active than in sedentary subjects (71.2±8.9 vs 76.6±9.7 bpm, p<0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, heart rate, smoking, and blood pressure, C2 was higher (8.0±2.6 vs 6.4±3.0 ml/mmHg × 100, p=0.008) in non-sedentary than in sedentary patients. The augmentation index was smaller in the former (8.8±20.1 vs 16.8±26.5%, p=0.044) but the difference lost statistical significance after further adjustment for blood pressure. After 6 years, C2 was still higher in the non-sedentary than sedentary subjects. In addition, an improvement in the augmentation index accompanied by a decline in total peripheral resistance was found in the former. These data show that regular physical activity is associated with improved small artery elasticity in the early phase of hypertension. This association persists over time and is independent of blood pressure and heart rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saladini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benetti
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department Town Hospital, San Daniele del Friuli, Italy.
authors.forename: Lucio
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mos
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Town Hospital, Vittorio Veneto, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Casiglia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy palatini@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Palatini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001158:Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004548:Elasticity / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology
keywords: augmentation index; exercise; heart rate; hypertension; small artery compliance; sports