title: Carotid Stiffness and Physical Activity in Elderly--A Short Report of the SAPALDIA 3 Cohort Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease risk in the general population. While smaller studies in specified groups (highly trained versus untrained individuals) indicate a certain dose-dependent effect of physical activity on the reduction of carotid stiffness (an indicator of subclinical vascular disease), it is unclear whether this association is present in a representative sample. Thus, we investigated this question cross-sectionally in participants from the population-based Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution And Lung and Heart Diseases In Adults (SAPALDIA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-reported total, moderate and vigorous physical activity and distensibility as a measure of local arterial stiffness among 1636 participants aged 50 to 81 years without clinically manifest diseases were evaluated. Mixed regression models were used to examine associations of physical activity intensity with distensibility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vigorous physical activity, but not total nor moderate physical activity, was significantly associated with increased distensibility (= reduced carotid stiffness) in univariate analyses (percent change in the geometric mean and 95% confidence interval per 1 standard deviation increment in vigorous physical activity = 2.54 (0.69; 4.43), p < 0.01; in total physical activity = 1.62 (-0.22; 3.50), p = 0.08; in moderate physical activity = 0.70 (-1.12; 2.56), p = 0.45). These associations disappeared when we additionally adjusted for age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After adjustment for the most important confounders and risk factors, we found no evidence for an association of physical activity with carotid stiffness in the general middle aged to elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Div. Sports and Exercise Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Seraina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caviezel
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dratva
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schaffner
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Div. Sports and Exercise Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Endes
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christine S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Autenrieth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Physical Activity and Health Unit, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wanner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Physical Activity and Health Unit, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Imagelabonline, Science Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de Groot
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine and Primary Care, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gaspoz
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nino
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Künzli
authors.affiliation: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Probst-Hensch
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Div. Sports and Exercise Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Trucksäss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D059289:Vascular Stiffness