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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
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Published on: April 18, 2019
Attenuated Cardiovascular Responses to the Cold Pressor Test in Concussed Collegiate Athletes
Blair D Johnson1, James R Sackett1, Zachary J Schlader1
1Center for Research and Education in Special Environments, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University at Buffalo, NY.
Context:
Cardiovascular responses to the cold pressor test (CPT) provide information regarding sympathetic function.
Objective:
To determine if recently concussed collegiate athletes had blunted cardiovascular responses during the CPT.
Design:
Cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Laboratory.
Patients Or Other Participants:
A total of 10 symptomatic concussed collegiate athletes (5 men, 5 women; age = 20 ± 2 years) who were within 7 days of diagnosis and 10 healthy control individuals (5 men, 5 women; age = 24 ± 4 years).
Intervention(S):
The participants' right hands were submerged in agitated ice water for 120 seconds (CPT).
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Heart rate and blood pressure were continuously measured and averaged at baseline and every 30 seconds during the CPT.
Results:
Baseline heart rate and mean arterial pressure were not different between groups. Heart rate increased throughout 90 seconds of the CPT (peak increase at 60 seconds = 16 ± 13 beats/min; P < .001) in healthy control participants but remained unchanged in concussed athletes (peak increase at 60 seconds = 7 ± 10 beats/min; P = .08). We observed no differences between groups for the heart rate response (P > .28). Mean arterial pressure was elevated throughout the CPT starting at 30 seconds (5 ± 7 mm Hg; P = .048) in healthy control individuals (peak increase at 120 seconds = 26 ± 9 mm Hg; P < .001). Mean arterial pressure increased in concussed athletes at 90 seconds (8 ± 8 mm Hg; P = .003) and 120 seconds (12 ± 8 mm Hg; P < .001). Healthy control participants had a greater increase in mean arterial pressure starting at 60 seconds (P < .001) and throughout the CPT than concussed athletes (peak difference at 90 seconds = 25 ± 10 mm Hg and 8 ± 8 mm Hg, respectively; P < .001).
Conclusions:
Recently concussed athletes had blunted cardiovascular responses to the CPT, which indicated sympathetic dysfunction.
