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Age and microvascular responses to knee extensor exercise in women

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Abstract

This study examined the relation between femoral artery hyperemic responses to leg exercise and microvascular oxygen extraction in nine young [(mean ± S.E.M) Y: 25 ± 1 years] and 13 older (O: 67 ± 1 years) healthy women. Femoral artery blood flow (FBF; Doppler ultrasound), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and femoral vascular conductance (FVC; FBF/MAP) were assessed at rest and during 9 min of ∼17–18 W single knee extensor exercise. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in the vastus lateralis was used to measure changes in deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) and oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) to assess oxygen extraction (Δ HHb), microvascular blood volume (Δ HHb + O2Hb), and spatial heterogeneity of blood volume (relative dispersion, defined as the coefficient of variation of measurements from all NIR sensors). During exercise, FBF and FVC were lower (p < 0.05) in O compared to Y (Y: 1,430 ± 101 mL min−1 and 16.6 ± 1.2 mL min−1 per mmHg versus O: 1,127 ± 64 mL min−1 and 10.9 ± 0.6 mL min−1per mmHg). While oxygen extraction increased more rapidly in Y, there were no age differences (p > 0.10) beyond the fourth min of exercise. In addition, the relative increase in microvascular blood volume was not significantly different during exercise in Y versus O (age effect: p = 0.87), although Y demonstrated an increase in blood volume heterogeneity in both the active and inactive leg (p = 0.02 and <0.05, respectively) not observed in O (p = 0.71 and 0.28, respectively). NIRS-derived measurements of changes in deoxygenated hemoglobin do not support the hypothesis that older women compensate for the blunted leg hyperemic response to knee extensor exercise through an augmentation of quadriceps oxygen extraction; knee extensor work may be accomplished by other metabolic or microvascular adjustments to exercise in older women.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the GCRC clinicians and staff as well as Michael D. Herr, Doug Johnson, and Denny Ripka for their assistance with data collection. This research was supported by R01 AG18246 (D.N. Proctor), NIA Interdisciplinary Training in Gerontology Grant T32 AG00048 (B.A. Parker) and M01 RR10732 (GCRC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, 105 Noll Laboratory, University Park, PA, 16802-6900, USA

    Beth A. Parker, Sandra L. Smithmyer & David N. Proctor

  2. Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Samuel J. Ridout & David N. Proctor

  3. Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Chester A. Ray

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  1. Beth A. Parker
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  2. Sandra L. Smithmyer
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  5. David N. Proctor
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Correspondence to David N. Proctor.

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Parker, B.A., Smithmyer, S.L., Ridout, S.J. et al. Age and microvascular responses to knee extensor exercise in women. Eur J Appl Physiol 103, 343–351 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-008-0711-0

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