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Impact of acute whole-body cold exposure with concurrent isometric handgrip exercise on aortic pressure waveform characteristics

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Abstract

Purpose

Adverse cardiovascular events are more prevalent during winter and in people that exercise/work in cold temperatures. Since pulse wave analysis indices, aortic systolic blood pressure (ASBP), augmentation index (AIx), and wasted left ventricular pressure energy (ΔE w), are stronger predictors of cardiovascular events and myocardial performance than brachial blood pressure (BP), we sought to evaluate the aortic hemodynamic responses during cold exposure with concurrent isometric handgrip exercise (IHG).

Methods

In a crossover randomized fashion, 20 healthy normotensive men (22.1 ± 2 years) were evaluated, by means of radial applanation tonometry, inside an environmental chamber in the supine position at cold (4 °C) and temperate (24 °C) conditions. Following a 30-min equilibration period, measurements were performed during pre-exercise baseline (REST), in the last 90 s of a 3-min IHG at 30 % maximal voluntary contraction, and 3 min immediately after the finalization of IHG bout (recovery, REC).

Results

At REST, brachial systolic BP (BSBP) (12 ± 2 mmHg; P < 0.01), ASBP (14 ± 3 mmHg; P < 0.01), AIx (11 ± 3 %; P < 0.05), and ΔE w (737 ± 128 dynes s/cm2; P < 0.01) were higher in 4 °C compared to 24 °C trial. Compared to REST, IHG significantly increased (P < 0.01) BSBP, ASBP, AIx, and ΔEw, while BSBP and ASBP remained elevated during REC (P < 0.01). Compared to REST and temperate, AIx (11 ± 3 %) and ΔE w (793 ± 145 dynes s/cm2; P < 0.01) were higher during IHG and cold, while BSBP and ASBP were elevated during REC and cold. AIx and ΔE w returned to REST values in both trials, but AIx (11 ± 4 %; P < 0.05) and ΔE w (656 ± 132 dynes s/cm2; P < 0.05) were higher in the cold.

Conclusions

Cold exposure with concurrent IHG induces a significant increase in aortic hemodynamic markers, which may evoke adverse cardiovascular events.

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Abbreviations

∆E w :

Wasted left ventricular pressure energy

ADBP:

Aortic diastolic blood pressure

AIx:

Aortic augmentation index

AIx@75:

Aortic augmentation index adjusted to a heart rate of 75 bpm

AMAP:

Aortic mean arterial pressure

AP:

Augmented pressure

APP:

Aortic pulse pressure

ASBP:

Aortic systolic blood pressure

BDBP:

Brachial diastolic blood pressure

BMAP:

Brachial mean arterial pressure

BMI:

Body mass index

BP:

Blood pressure

BPP:

Brachial pulse pressure

BSBP:

Brachial systolic blood pressure

HR:

Heart rate

IHG:

Isometric handgrip

LV:

Left ventricular

MVC:

Maximal voluntary contraction

P2:

Second systolic peak pressure

P1:

First systolic peak pressure

PP:

Pulse pressure

PWV:

Pulse wave velocity

REC:

Post-exercise recovery

REST:

Pre-exercise baseline

RPP:

Rate pressure product

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

Tr :

Transit time of the reflected wave

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our gratitude to the participants.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, The Florida State University, 1115 W Call Street BMS 2300-24, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA

    Andrew P. Koutnik & Marcos A. Sanchez-Gonzalez

  2. Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, College of Human Sciences, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA

    Arturo Figueroa, Alexei Wong, Katherine J. Ramirez & Michael J. Ormsbee

Authors
  1. Andrew P. Koutnik
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  2. Arturo Figueroa
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  3. Alexei Wong
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  4. Katherine J. Ramirez
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  5. Michael J. Ormsbee
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  6. Marcos A. Sanchez-Gonzalez
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marcos A. Sanchez-Gonzalez.

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Communicated by George Havenith.

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Koutnik, A.P., Figueroa, A., Wong, A. et al. Impact of acute whole-body cold exposure with concurrent isometric handgrip exercise on aortic pressure waveform characteristics. Eur J Appl Physiol 114, 1779–1787 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2897-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-014-2897-7

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