Low-to-Moderate-Intensity Resistance Exercise Effectively Improves Arterial Stiffness in Adults: Evidence From Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression Analysis.

Background/Purpose: Resistance exercise (RE) is known to improve cardiovascular health, but the role of RE variables on arterial stiffness is inconclusive. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we investigated the influence of RE and its intensities on arterial stiffness measured as pulse wave velocity (PWV) in young and middle-aged adults. Methods: Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies. RE trials that reported PWV data, and compared with respective controls were included. The Cochrane Collaboration tool was used to assess the risk of bias. Results: Data were synthesized from a total of 20 studies, involving 981 participants from control (n = 462) and exercise (n = 519) trials. The test for overall effect (pooled outcome) showed RE intervention had no effect on arterial stiffness (SMD = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.32, 0.13; P = 0.42), but risk of heterogeneity (I 2) was 64%. Meta-regression results revealed a significant correlation (P = 0.042) between RE intensity and PWV changes. Consequently, the trials were subgrouped into high-intensity and low-to-moderate-intensity to identify the effective RE intensity. Subgroup analysis showed that low-to-moderate-intensity significantly decreased PWV (SMD = -0.34; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.17; P < 0.0001), while high-intensity had no effect (SMD = 0.24; 95% CI: -0.18, 0.67; P = 0.26). When trials separated into young and middle-aged, low-to-moderate-intensity notably decreased PWV in young (SMD = -0.41; 95% CI: -0.77, -0.04; P = 0.03) and middle-aged adults (SMD = -0.32; 95% CI: -0.51, -0.14; P = 0.0007), whereas high-intensity had no effect in both age groups. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that RE intensity is the key variable in improving arterial stiffness. Low-to-moderate-intensity can prescribe as an effective non-pharmacological strategy to treat cardiovascular complications in young and middle-aged adults.

Association of Vitamin D Metabolites With Arterial Function in the Hemodialysis Fistula Maturation Study.

BACKGROUND: Disturbances in vitamin D metabolism are common in patients with end-stage renal disease and may contribute to vascular dysfunction. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: We evaluated 558 of 602 participants at baseline of the Hemodialysis Fistula Maturation (HFM) Study, a 7-center prospective cohort study of a cohort of patients with chronic kidney disease awaiting arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation surgery. FACTOR: 4 vitamin D metabolites measured with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectroscopy from samples obtained within 4 weeks prior to AVF surgery. OUTCOMES: Vasodilator functions and measurements of arterial stiffness. MEASUREMENTS: Trained HFM Study personnel measured brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, nitroglycerin-mediated dilation, and carotid-femoral and carotid-radial pulse wave velocities (PWVs) prior to AVF creation. We evaluated associations after basic adjustment for sex, age, and clinical site and more fully adjusted additionally for baseline education, smoking, body mass index, diabetes, dialysis status, and medication use. RESULTS: Mean participant age was 55±13 (SD) years and 65% were receiving maintenance dialysis. None of the vitamin D metabolites were significantly associated with flow-mediated dilation, carotid-femoral PWV, or carotid-radial PWV in basic or fully adjusted analyses. Higher serum concentrations of bioavailable vitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were associated with 0.62% and 0.58% greater nitroglycerin-mediated dilation values, respectively, in basic models; however, these associations were no longer statistically significant with full adjustment. There were no significant associations of vitamin D metabolites with carotid-femoral or carotid-radial PWV in fully adjusted analyses. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional ascertainment of vitamin D metabolites and vascular functions late during the course of kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: Serum concentrations of vitamin D metabolites are not associated with vasodilator functions or vascular stiffness at baseline in a cohort study of patients with chronic kidney disease awaiting AVF creation surgery. Laboratory measurements of vitamin D metabolites are unlikely to provide useful information regarding vascular functions in this setting.

Study of the change of large arterial compliance and carotid artery intima-media thickness in patients with metabolic syndrome / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective To investigate the changes of compliance in large arteries and carotid artery intima-media thickness(IMT)in patients with metabolic syndrome.Methods There were 64 patients with metabolic syndrome and 56 age-matched control subjects.Their carotid-femoral pulse wave velocities(C-FPWV)were measured by the Complior SP and their carotid artery IMT were detected by B-mode ultrasound.At the same time their height,weight,waist circumstance,hip girth,blood pressure,blood glucose,blood lipid,BMI and waist to hip ratio(WHR)were measured.Results Compared with the control,the patients with metabolic syndrome had higher C-FPWV(P