Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Peak exercise oxygen uptake and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function and arterial mechanics in healthy young men

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Echocardiography can be used to estimate myocardial contractility by the assessment of the circumferential end-systolic stress-corrected left ventricular (LV) fractional shortening measured at midwall level (stress-corrected MWS). Whether stress-corrected MWS at rest predicts exercise peak oxygen uptake (peak V̇O2) is unknown. Also, it is not known whether the propagation rate of the early LV filling wave (E wave propagation rate, V̇ p), a new pre-load insensitive index of LV diastolic function, and echocardiographically assessed indices of arterial stiffness correlate to peak V̇O2. Accordingly, we performed echocardiographic studies and exercise tests with respiratory gas analysis in 15 young healthy male subjects (mean age 27 years, range 18–36). Neither stress-corrected-MWS (r=0.20, P=NS) nor ejection fraction (r=−0.05, P=NS) correlated significantly with peak V̇O2. Adjustment for age and resting heart rate had no effect on the results. In separate multiple regression models adjusting for standard covariates (age, LV size and heart rate), peak V̇O2 correlated with V̇ p (beta=0.98, P<0.01), as well as with E/A (beta=0.85, P<0.01), and with the isovolumic relaxation time (indicator of LV relaxation) (beta=−0.59, P<0.05). Arterial stiffness indices showed no significant relation to peak V̇O2. We conclude that in young healthy male subjects, resting myocardial contractility and arterial stiffness are not significant correlates of peak V̇O2, whereas LV diastolic function, and in particular V̇ p, influences the variability of peak V̇O2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bella JN, Palmieri V, Liu JE, Kitzman DW, Oberman A, Hunt SC, Hopkins PN, Rao DC, Arnett DK, Devereux RB (2001) Relationship between left ventricular diastolic relaxation and systolic function in hypertension: The Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) Study. Hypertension 38:424–428

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clausen JP, Trap-Jensen J (1976) Heart rate and arterial blood pressure during exercise in patients with angina pectoris. Effects of training and of nitroglycerin. Circulation 53:436–442

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Simone G, Devereux RB, Roman MJ, Ganau A, Saba PS, Alderman MH, Laragh JH (1994) Assessment of left ventricular function by the midwall fractional shortening/end-systolic stress relation in human hypertension. J Am Coll Cardiol 23:1444–1451 [erratum in J Am Coll Cardiol (1994) 24:844]

    Google Scholar 

  • De Simone G, Devereux RB, Celentano A, Roman MJ (1999) Left ventricular chamber and wall mechanics in the presence of concentric geometry. J Hypertens 17:1001–1006

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Devereux RB, Alonso DR, Lutas EM, Gottlieb GJ, Campo E, Sachs I, Reichek N (1986) Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular hypertrophy: comparison to necropsy findings. Am J Cardiol 57:450–458

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Devereux RB, Roman MJ, Paranicas M, O’Grady MJ, Wood EA, Howard BV, Welty TK, Lee ET, Fabsitz RR (1997) Relations of Doppler stroke volume and its components to left ventricular stroke volume in normotensive and hypertensive American Indians: the Strong Heart Study. Am J Hypertens 10:619–628

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Di Bello V, Talarico L, Di Muro C, Santoro G, Bertini A, Giorgi D, Caputo MT, Bianchi M, Cecchini L, Giusti C (1995) Evaluation of maximal left ventricular performance in elite bicyclists. Int J Sports Med 16:498–506

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Di Bello V, Santoro G, Talarico L, Di Muro C, Caputo MT, Giorgi D, Bertini A, Bianchi M, Giusti C (1996) Left ventricular function during exercise in athletes and in sedentary men. Med Sci Sports Exerc 28:190–196

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dubach P, Myers J, Dziekan G, Goebbels U, Reinhart W, Muller P, Buser P, Stulz P, Vogt P, Ratti R (1997) Effect of high intensity exercise training on central hemodynamic responses to exercise in men with reduced left ventricular function. J Am Coll Cardiol 29:1591–1598

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gaasch WH, Zile MR, Hoshino PK, Apstein CS, Blaustein AS (1989) Stress-shortening relations and myocardial blood flow in compensated and failing canine hearts with pressure-overload hypertrophy. Circulation 79:872–883

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia MJ, Thomas JD, Klein AL (1998) New Doppler echocardiographic applications for the study of diastolic function. J Am Coll Cardiol 32:865–875

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia MJ, Smedira NG, Greenberg NL, Main M, Firstenberg MS, Odabashian J, Thomas JD (2000) Color M-mode Doppler flow propagation velocity is a preload insensitive index of left ventricular relaxation: animal and human validation. J Am Coll Cardiol 35:201–208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leung DY, Griffin BP, Snader CE, Luthern L, Thomas JD, Marwick TH (1997) Determinants of functional capacity in chronic mitral regurgitation unassociated with coronary artery disease or left ventricular dysfunction. Am J Cardiol 79:914–920

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oh JK, Appleton CP, Hatle LK, Nishimura RA, Seward JB, Tajik AJ (1997) The noninvasive assessment of left ventricular diastolic function with two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 10:246–270

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palatini P, Frigo G, Visentin P, Mario L, Mormino P, Pessina AC (2001) Left ventricular contractile performance in the early stage of hypertension in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 85:118–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Palmieri V, Bella JN, DeQuattro V, Roman MJ, Hahn RT, Dahlof B, Sharpe N, Lau CP, Chen WC, Paran E, de Simone G, Devereux RB (1999a) Relations of diastolic left ventricular filling to systolic chamber and myocardial contractility in hypertensive patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (The PRESERVE Study). Am J Cardiol 84:558–562

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palmieri V, Dahlöf B, DeQuattro V, Sharpe N, Bella JN, de Simone G, Paranicas M, Fishman D, Devereux RB (1999b) Reliability of echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular structure and function: the PRESERVE study. J Am Coll Cardiol 34:1625–1632

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Palmieri V, Bella JN, Roman MJ, Gerdts E, Papademetriou V, Wachtell K, Nieminen MS, Dahlof B, Devereux RB (2003) Pulse pressure/stroke index and left ventricular geometry and function: the LIFE Study. J Hypertens 21:781–787

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sahn DJ, DeMaria A, Kisslo J, Weyman A (1978) Recommendations regarding quantitation in M-mode echocardiography: results of a survey of echocardiographic measurements. Circulation 58:1072–1083

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schiller NB, Shah PM, Crawford M, DeMaria A, Devereux R, Feigenbaum H, Gutgesell H, Reichek N, Sahn D, Schnittger I (1989) Recommendations for quantitation of the left ventricle by two-dimensional echocardiography. American Society of Echocardiography Committee on Standards, subcommittee on quantitation of two-dimensional echocardiograms. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2:358–367

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schulman SP, Fleg JL, Goldberg AP, Busby-Whitehead J, Hagberg JM, O’Connor FC, Gerstenblith G, Becker LC, Katzel LI, Lakatta LE, Lakatta EG (1996) Continuum of cardiovascular performance across a broad range of fitness levels in healthy older men. Circulation 94:359–367

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shimamoto H, Shimamoto Y (1996) Lisinopril reverses left ventricular hypertrophy through improved aortic compliance. Hypertension 28:457–463

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shimizu G, Hirota Y, Kita Y, Kawamura K, Saito T, Gaasch WH (1991) Left ventricular midwall mechanics in systemic arterial hypertension. Myocardial function is depressed in pressure-overload hypertrophy. Circulation 83:1676–1684

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Starling MR (1993) Left ventricular-arterial coupling relations in the normal human heart. Am Heart J 125:1659–1666

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stergiopulos N, Westerhof N (1999) Role of total arterial compliance and peripheral resistance in the determination of systolic and diastolic aortic pressure. Pathol Biol (Paris) 47:641–647

    Google Scholar 

  • Teichholz LE, Kreulen T, Herman MV, Gorlin R (1976) Problems in echocardiographic volume determinations: echocardiographic- angiographic correlations in the presence of absence of asynergy. Am J Cardiol 37:7–11

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vaitkevicius PV, Fleg JL, Engel JH, O’Connor FC, Wright JG, Lakatta LE, Yin FC, Lakatta EG (1993) Effects of age and aerobic capacity on arterial stiffness in healthy adults. Circulation 88:1456–1462

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vanoverschelde JJ, Essamri B, Vanbutsele R, d’Hondt A, Cosyns JR, Detry JR, Melin JA (1993) Contribution of left ventricular diastolic function to exercise capacity in normal subjects. J Appl Physiol 74:2225–2233

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyns W, Melin JA, Vanbutsele RJ, De Coster PM, Steels M, Piret L, Detry JM (1982) Assessment of right and left ventricular volumes during upright exercise in normal men. Eur Heart J 3:529–536

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yin FC, Weisfeldt ML, Milnor WR (1981) Role of aortic input impedance in the decreased cardiovascular response to exercise with aging in dogs. J Clin Invest 68:28–38

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This study was supported in part by the Educational Fund of PhD program “XVI ciclo”, 2002.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, via Pansini 5, Edificio 1/A, 80131 , Naples, Italy

    Vittorio Palmieri, Emma Arezzi, Pasquale Innelli, Maria Sabatella, Liberato Aldo Ferrara & Aldo Celentano

  2. Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Science, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Emiliano Antonio Palmieri & Serafino Fazio

Authors
  1. Vittorio Palmieri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emiliano Antonio Palmieri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Emma Arezzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pasquale Innelli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Maria Sabatella
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Liberato Aldo Ferrara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Serafino Fazio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Aldo Celentano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vittorio Palmieri.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Palmieri, V., Palmieri, E.A., Arezzi, E. et al. Peak exercise oxygen uptake and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function and arterial mechanics in healthy young men. Eur J Appl Physiol 91, 664–668 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-0999-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-0999-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation