Acute effects of incremental exercise on central hemodynamics in young basketball athletes

Acute effects of competitive sports on central hemodynamics are controversial. This study was aimed to evaluate acute effects of incremental exercise on central hemodynamics in young basketball athletes during 1-hour recovery. Fifteen young basketball athletes and fifteen controls underwent the acquisition of peripheral and central blood pressure before exercise and at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 min after incremental exercise. The incremental exercise was performed by Bruce test. Aortic systolic pressure (ASP), sub-endocardial viability ratio and stroke volume were significantly higher in athletes at all time points measured before and after exercise (P<;0.05). Heart rate and ejection duration were significantly lower in athletes (P<;0.01 for all). Augmentation index (AIx) was higher in athletes than that in controls at rest. AIx significantly reduced in athletes at 0 min after exercise (P<;0.01), but not in controls. Both Cardiac output and total peripheral resistance significantly changed in athletes at 0 min after exercise (P<;0.01). Cardiac functions to incremental exercise at all time points in basketball athletes are stronger than those in controls. However, potential mechanism of vascular functions should be further explored because basketball athletes have higher ASP and AIx than those in controls.