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Effect of aging on hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the present investigation was to assess the role of aging on the contribution of diastolic function during metaboreflex activation. In particular, it aimed to determine whether age-related impairment in diastolic function would produce a different hemodynamic response in elderly subjects (EG) as compared to young controls (CTL).

Methods

Hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation obtained by post-exercise muscle ischemia (PEMI) was gathered in 22 EG and 20 healthy CTL. Subjects also performed a control exercise recovery (CER) test to compare data from the PEMI test.

Results

The main results showed that the EG group reached higher mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) increment than the CTL group during the PEMI test (+11.2 ± 8.6 vs 6.1 ± 6.4 mmHg in the EG and CTL group, respectively). Moreover, the mechanism by which this response was achieved was different between the two groups. In detail, EG reached the target MAP by increasing systemic vascular resistance (+235.2 ± 315.1 vs −44.4 ± 167.7 dynes s−1 cm−5 for the EG and the CTL group, respectively), whereas MAP response in the CTL was the result of an increase in cardiac pre-load (−1.5 ± 11.2 vs 14 ± 13.7 ml in end-diastolic volume for the EG and the CTL group, respectively), which led to a rise in stroke volume and cardiac output. Moreover, early filling peak velocities showed a higher response in the CTL than EG group.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that diastolic function is important for normal hemodynamic adjustment during the metaboreflex and to avoid excessive vasoconstriction.

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Abbreviations

A vel:

Atrial transmitral filling peak velocity

BP:

Blood pressure

CER:

Control exercise recovery

CO:

Cardiac output

CPX:

Cardiopulmonary test

CTL:

Controls subjects

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

DT:

Diastolic time

E vel:

Early transmitral filling peak velocity

EDV:

End-diastolic volume

EF:

Ejection fraction

EG:

Elderly subjects

ESV:

End-systolic volume

HR:

Heart rate

LVET:

Left ventricular ejection time

MAP:

Mean blood pressure

PEMI:

Post-exercise muscle ischemia

PEP:

Pre-ejection period

PWD:

Pulse wave Doppler

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

SV:

Stroke volume

SVR:

Systemic vascular resistance

VFR:

Ventricular filling rate

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the University of Cagliari, the Italian Ministry of Scientific Research and the Regional School of Sport of Sardinia, Italian Olympic Committee (Italy). The authors wish to thank Mr. Barry Mark Wheaton for his editorial assistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this manuscript.

Ethical standards

Each subject gave written informed consent to take part in the study, which was approved by the local ethical committee and conforms to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Science, Sports Physiology Lab, University of Cagliari, Via Porcell 4, 09124, Cagliari, Italy

    Raffaele Milia, Silvana Roberto, Gabriele Mulliri, Andrea Loi, Maura Marcelli, Gianmarco Sainas, Nicola Milia, Elisabetta Marongiu & Antonio Crisafulli

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  1. Raffaele Milia
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  2. Silvana Roberto
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  3. Gabriele Mulliri
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  4. Andrea Loi
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  5. Maura Marcelli
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  6. Gianmarco Sainas
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  7. Nicola Milia
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  8. Elisabetta Marongiu
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  9. Antonio Crisafulli
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonio Crisafulli.

Additional information

Communicated by David C. Poole.

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Milia, R., Roberto, S., Mulliri, G. et al. Effect of aging on hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 1693–1703 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3153-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3153-5

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