title: The Relationship Between Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Aortic Stiffness in Women with Central Obesity.
abstract: To examine the association between cardiorespiratory fitness and aortic stiffness in women with central obesity. The secondary purpose was to examine whether traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors mediate the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and aortic stiffness.
  
  
  
  Eighty-seven centrally obese women (age, 42 ± 9 years, [body mass index (BMI)] 28 ± 3 kg/m(2)) participated in this cross-sectional study. Central obesity was defined as a waist circumference >85 cm. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was obtained from the carotid and femoral pulse sites using applanation tonometry to measure aortic stiffness. Maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 Max) was estimated using a submaximal walk test and taken as a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. Potential correlates of both cardiorespiratory fitness and aortic stiffness examined in this study included the following: triglycerides (TG), C-reactive protein (CRP), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), and pulsatile load (i.e., heart rate × aortic pulse pressure [aPP]).
  
  
  
  Pearson's bivariate correlations indicated that estimated VO2 Max was inversely associated with PWV (r = -0.330, p < 0.05). Using hierarchical multiple regression, the association between estimated VO2 Max and PWV was no longer significant after controlling for traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors, age, BMI, TG, CRP, HOMA-IR, and pulsatile load (β = 0.121, p > 0.05).
  
  
  
  In centrally obese women, cardiorespiratory fitness was inversely associated with aortic stiffness. Associations were not independent of traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This suggests that higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness may indirectly reduce aortic stiffness through its beneficial effects on traditional and nontraditional CVD risk factors in women with central obesity.
authors.affiliation: 1 Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York.
authors.forename: Jacqueline A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Augustine
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Sport Science, University of Seoul , Seoul, South Korea .
authors.forename: Eun Sun
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: 3 College of Nursing, Korea University , Seoul, South Korea .
authors.forename: Jina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choo
authors.affiliation: 1 Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Exercise Science, Syracuse University , Syracuse, New York.
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Heffernan
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Sport Science, University of Seoul , Seoul, South Korea .
authors.forename: Sae Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jae
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001011:Aorta / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein