Acute effects of different types of aerobic exercise on endothelial function and arterial stiffness.
Chronic aerobic exercise training is associated with improved endothelial function and arterial stiffness and favourable long-term cardiovascular effects.



We investigated the acute effects of continuous moderate intensity aerobic exercise (CAE) and high intensity interval aerobic exercise (hIAE) on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in healthy participants.



Twenty healthy men were recruited to this cross-over study. They participated in two exercise sessions: (a) CAE, volume at 50% of maximum aerobic work for 30 minutes; and (b) hIAE, interval maximum aerobic work for 30 minutes. Endothelial function was evaluated by flow-mediated dilation in the brachial artery. The carotid femoral pulse wave velocity and the femoral dorsalis pedis pulse wave velocity were measured as indices of central aortic and peripheral arterial stiffness. Measurements were carried out before and immediately after each exercise session.



There was no statistically significant difference in the baseline measurements before CAE and hIAE with respect to flow-mediated dilation, the carotid femoral pulse wave velocity and the femoral dorsalis pedis pulse wave velocity (p = NS). Both CAE and hIAE significantly improved the flow-mediated dilation compared with baseline (p < 0.001). Similarly, the femoral dorsalis pedis pulse wave velocity was improved after CAE and hIAE (p < 0.005), whereas the carotid femoral pulse wave velocity was not significantly affected (p = NS).



Both CAE and hIAE can favourably affect endothelial function, suggesting another cardioprotective effect of acute exercise. These types of aerobic exercise have a different impact on the central and peripheral arterial stiffness.
First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Greece Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA gsiasos@med.uoa.gr.
Gerasimos
G
Siasos
First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
Dimitrios
D
Athanasiou
Athletics Laboratory, School of Physical Education & Sport Science, University of Athens, Greece.
Gerasimos
G
Terzis
Athletics Laboratory, School of Physical Education & Sport Science, University of Athens, Greece.
Aggeliki
A
Stasinaki
First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
Evangelos
E
Oikonomou
Athletics Laboratory, School of Physical Education & Sport Science, University of Athens, Greece.
Stavroula
S
Tsitkanou
First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
Theodora
T
Kolokytha
Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens, Greece.
Konstantinos
K
Spengos
Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
Athanasios G
AG
Papavassiliou
First Department of Cardiology, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
Dimitris
D
Tousoulis
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
Aerobic exercise; arterial stiffness; continuous moderate intensity exercise; endothelial function; high intensity interval exercise