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Effect of passive heat stress on arterial stiffness in smokers versus non-smokers

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Abstract

In non-smokers, passive heat stress increases shear stress and vasodilation, decreasing arterial stiffness. Smokers, who reportedly have arterial dysfunction, may have similar improvements in arterial stiffness with passive heat stress. Therefore, we examined the effects of an acute bout of whole-body passive heat stress on arterial stiffness in smokers vs. non-smokers. Thirteen smokers (8.8 ± 5.5 [median = 6] cigarettes per day for >4 years) and 13 non-smokers matched for age, mass, height, and exercise habits (27 ± 8 years; 78.8 ± 15.4 kg; 177.6 ± 6.7 cm) were passively heated to 1.5 °C core temperature (T C) increase. At baseline and each 0.5 °C T C increase, peripheral (pPWV) and central pulse wave velocity (cPWV) were measured via Doppler ultrasound. No differences existed between smokers and non-smokers for any variables (all p > 0.05), except cPWV slightly increased from baseline (526.7 ± 81.7 cm · s−1) to 1.5 °C ΔT C (579.7 ± 69.8 cm · s−1; p < 0.005), suggesting heat stress acutely increased central arterial stiffness. pPWV did not change with heating (grand mean: baseline = 691.9 ± 92.9 cm · s−1; 1.5 °C ΔT C = 691.9 ± 79.5 cm · s−1; p > 0.05). Changes in cPWV and pPWV during heating correlated (p < 0.05) with baseline PWV in smokers (cPWV: r = −0.59; pPWV: r = −0.62) and non-smokers (cPWV: r = −0.45; pPWV: r = −0.77). Independent of smoking status, baseline stiffness appears to mediate the magnitude of heating-induced changes in arterial stiffness.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the subjects for their dedication and participation. We also thank Hannah Anderson, J.D. Adams, and Ashley Six for their technical assistance during data collection.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Funding

This project was funded by the College of Education and Health Professions and Research & Sponsored Programs at the University of Arkansas and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute, the major research component of the Arkansas Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000.

Compliance with ethical standards

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University’s institutional review board (IRB# 12-08-047) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Performance Laboratory, Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    N. E. Moyen, M. S. Ganio, J. M. Burchfield, M. A. Tucker, M. A. Gonzalez, E. K. Dougherty, F. B. Robinson & C. B. Ridings

  2. Department of Psychological Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    J. C. Veilleux

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  1. N. E. Moyen
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  2. M. S. Ganio
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  3. J. M. Burchfield
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  4. M. A. Tucker
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  5. M. A. Gonzalez
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  6. E. K. Dougherty
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  7. F. B. Robinson
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  9. J. C. Veilleux
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Correspondence to M. S. Ganio.

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Moyen, N.E., Ganio, M.S., Burchfield, J.M. et al. Effect of passive heat stress on arterial stiffness in smokers versus non-smokers. Int J Biometeorol 60, 499–506 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-015-1046-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-015-1046-2

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