ABSTRACT
We compared central and peripheral arterial stiffness response patterns between persons with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) of different age groups at rest and following a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Fifteen young adults with and without IDD, and 15 middle-aged adults without IDD performed a CPET. Central and peripheral arterial stiffness were measured at rest and following CPET using estimates of carotid-femoral (cfPWV), carotid-radial (crPWV), and carotid-ankle (cdPWV) pulse wave velocity derived from piezoelectric mechano-transducers. cfPWV remained unchanged following CPET in adults with and without IDD but increased in middle-aged adults (d = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.27-1.42 m·s-1, p = 0.005), whereas cdPWV was similarly reduced (d = -0.77; 95% CI: -1.06 to -0.48 m·s-1, p < 0.001) in all groups. crPWV remained unchanged in all groups. These results were independent of exercise-related changes in mean arterial pressure. Overall group differences suggested that persons with IDD (d = -1.78; 95% CI: -3.20 to -0.37 m·s-1, p = 0.009) and without IDD (d = -1.84; 95% CI: -3.26 to -0.43 m·s-1, p = 0.007) had lower cfPWV than middle-aged adults. We found no evidence of early vascular aging and diminished vascular reserve following CPET in adults with IDD.
