Effects of physical inactivity on aortic distensibility in visually impaired young men

To assess the effects of inordinate physical inactivity on the distensibility of the aorta we measured aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV) and estimated physical activity index (PAI) by a 7-day total activity recall in visually impaired subjects. A group of 12 blind students (blind group) and 28 sighted male students, including 14 runners (runner group) and 14 sedentary subjects (sedentary group), participated in this study. There were no significant differences in body height, body mass, or blood pressure among the three groups. The PAI of the blind group [310 (SD 330) kcal x week(-1)] was significantly lower than that of the runner group [6300 (SD 1920) kcal week(-1), P < 0.0001] and the sedentary group [810 (SD 780) kcal x week(-1); P < 0.05]. The PAI of the runner group (P < 0.0001) was significantly higher than that of the sedentary group. The APWV and APWV index (standardized APWV for diastolic blood pressure: APWVI) of the runner group [5.22 (SD 0.42) m x s(-1) and 5.54 (SD 0.57) m x s(-1) P < 0.01, respectively] were significantly lower than those of the sedentary group [5.88 (SD 0.51) m x s(-1) and 6.16 (SD 0.48) m x s(-1)]. The APWV and APWVI of the blind group [5.29 (SD 0.49) m x s(-1) and 5.40 (SD 0.60) m x s(-1) P < 0.01, respectively] were significantly lower than those of the sedentary group, but there was no significant difference in the values of the APWV and APWVI between the blind and runner groups. These results would suggest that increased physical activity provides subjects with a distensible aorta, as does the inordinately decreased physical activity in the blind.