Greater arterial wall viscosity in endurance-trained men

Purpose The age-associated increase in arterial wall viscosity (AWV) is attenuated by high cardiorespiratory fitness level. However, AWV in endurance-trained athletes have not been determined. We designed a cross sectional study to compare central AWV and compliance between endurance-trained young athletes and age-matched control men. Methods Twenty-one endurance-trained men (age 20.7 +/- 0.3 years) and 20 age-matched healthy control men (age 21.6 +/- 0.4 years) were studied. The common carotid artery was measured noninvasively by tonometry and automatic tracking of B-mode images to obtain instantaneous pressure and diameter hysteresis loops, and we calculated the dynamic carotid arterial compliance, static (effective and isobaric) compliance, and viscosity index. Results The AWV index in the endurance-trained men was larger than the control peers (2285 +/- 181 vs. 1429 +/- 124 mmHg center dot s/mm: P < 0.001). In addition, dynamic and static compliance were not statistically different between both groups. Conclusion The present study indicated that the central AWV in endurance-trained athletes was greater than age-matched healthy control men. We believe that the AWV, as well as arterial compliance, is an important element for assessing vascular adaptation to endurance training.

Automated summary

This study found that central AWV in endurance-trained athletes was greater than age-matched healthy control men, while dynamic and static compliance did not differ significantly between the two groups. These results suggest that AWV and arterial compliance are important indicators for assessing vascular adaptation to endurance training.