Greater arterial wall viscosity in endurance-trained men

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Exercise Physiology
• Vascular Biology

Background:

• Arterial wall viscosity (AWV) increases with age.
• High cardiorespiratory fitness may attenuate age-associated increases in AWV.
• AWV in endurance-trained athletes remains undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare central AWV between endurance-trained young athletes and age-matched control men.
• To assess differences in arterial compliance between these groups.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 21 endurance-trained men and 20 healthy control men.
• Noninvasive measurement of the common carotid artery using tonometry and B-mode imaging.
• Calculation of dynamic and static arterial compliance and viscosity index.

Main Results:

• Endurance-trained men showed a significantly higher AWV index compared to controls (2285 vs. 1429 mmHg·s/mm, P < 0.001).
• No statistically significant differences in dynamic or static arterial compliance were observed between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Central AWV is greater in endurance-trained athletes than in age-matched healthy controls.
• AWV, alongside arterial compliance, is crucial for evaluating vascular adaptation to endurance training.