Salusin-β, Arterial Stiffness, and Heart Rate Variability Influence the Blood Pressure Response to High-Intensity...

Salusin-α and -β are two isoforms with opposing effects on the etiology of hypertension. We examined the effects of salusin-α and -β, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and heart rate variability (HRV) on the blood pressure (BP) response to high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Eighty older adults with hypertension (n = 80, 59.8 ± 6.1 yr, 27.2 ± 1.4 kg/m², 158.0 ± 11.9/98.7 ± 6.1 mmHg) were randomized to HIIT or control (CTR). HIIT was performed for 12, 1.5 min intervals at 85%-90% heart rate reserve (HR_R) separated by 2 min at 50%-55% HR_R for 12 weeks.

Systolic (SBP 17.7 ± 4.4 mmHg) and DBP (6.9 ± 2.3 mmHg) decreased after HIIT versus CTR (ps = 0.001). Salusin-α increased 144.9 ± 34.3 pg/mL after HIIT versus CTR (ps = 0.001); while salusin-β (308.7 ± 98.7 pg/mL) and the salusin-β/α ratio (0.89 ± 0.31) decreased after HIIT versus CTR (ps = 0.001). cfPWV decreased 336.7 ± 81.3 cm/s after HIIT versus CTR (p = 0.001). High-frequency power (HF 7.1 ± 2.1 nu) and SDNN (6.8 ± 1.4 ms) increased after HIIT versus CTR (ps = 0.001). Low-frequency power (LF 14.2 ± 3.2 nu) and LF/HF ratio decreased 1.1 ± 0.4 after HIIT versus CTR (ps = 0.001). After HIIT, salusin-β (β = 0.468), LF (β = 0.189), HF (β = -0.176), and VO_2peak (β = -0.150) accounted for 82% of the variance in the SBP response (p < 0.0001), whereas the salusin-β (β = 0.549), cfPWV (β = 0.346), VO_2peak (β = -0.186), and HF (β = -0.179), accounted for 72% of the variance in the DBP response (p < 0.0001).

Salusin-β, cfPWV, HRV and VO_2peak appear to be implicated in the BP benefits of HIIT among older adults with hypertension.