title: No influence of lower leg heating on central arterial pulse pressure in young men.
abstract: Central arterial pulse pressure (PP), a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease, mainly consists of an incident wave generated by left ventricular ejection and a late-arriving reflected wave emanating from the lower body. We have tested the hypothesis that a reduction in leg vascular tone by heat treatment of the lower leg attenuates the central arterial PP. Pressure and wave properties of the peripheral and central arteries were measured in eight young men before and after heat treatment of the lower leg (temperature approx. 43 °C) for 30 and 60 min, respectively. Following the lower leg heat trial, leg (femoral-ankle) pulse wave velocity (PWV) was significantly decreased, but aortic (carotid-femoral) PWV and parameters of wave reflection and carotid arterial PP did not change significantly. No significant changes were observed in these parameters in the control trial. These results suggest that the reduction in leg vascular tone induced by heat treatment of the lower leg may not affect wave reflection and central arterial PP in young men.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kosaki
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Nobuhiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akazawa
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanahashi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Ryuichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ajisaka
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maeda
mesh_terms: D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D010701:Phonocardiography; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult