Aerobic Training Effect on Arterial Stiffness in Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome, physical inactivity, and central obesity contribute to early vascular aging, which leads to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to assess the effect of heart rate (HR)-targeted aerobic exercise training on the indices of early vascular aging, in particular, arterial stiffness, and on anthropometric and clinical profile of metabolic syndrome subjects.

There were 126 metabolic syndrome subjects randomly selected. Anthropometric parameters, blood pressure (BP), blood sample, and arterial wall functional and structural parameters were obtained prior to and after the 8-week (84 patients) supervised training program. The age- and sex-matched control group (42 patients) followed the same protocol, except for the HR-targeted training program.

In the study group, HR-targeted training was associated with decreased aortic pulse wave velocity (8.47 ± 1.40 vs 8.01 ± 1.06 m/s; P = .005), HR (P < .001), systolic (P < .015) and diastolic (P < .004) BP, waist circumference (P < .004), total and low-density-lipid cholesterol (respectively, 6.42 ± 1.41 vs 5.89 ± 1.32, P = .003 and 4.2 ± 1.18 vs 3.8 ± 1.21, P = .002), and an increase in aerobic capacity (P < .001). In the control group there were no statistically significant changes of arterial stiffness parameters. Multivariate analysis revealed that reduction of arterial stiffness was BP dependent.

In subjects with metabolic syndrome, HR-targeted exercise training is associated with BP-dependent decrease in aortic stiffness and improvement of metabolic and fitness parameters.