Inverse Association between Exercising Blood Pressure Response and Left Ventricular Chamber Size and Mass in Women Who Habitually Resistance Train

Exercise is a major modifiable lifestyle factor that leads to temporarily increased systolic blood pressure (SBP), which is thought to influence left ventricular mass normalized to body surface area (LVM/BSA). This relationship has never been studied in women who habitually perform resistance exercise.

PURPOSE

To determine if a direct correlation exists between the SBP response to resistance exercise (change from rest; eSBP) and LVM/BSA in young healthy women who habitually resistance train.

METHODS

Leg extension resistance exercise was performed while continuously monitoring blood pressure using finger plethysmography. LVM was estimated using echocardiography. Data are shown as mean ± SD.

RESULTS

Thirty-one women participated (age 23 ± 3 years, height 164 ± 7 cm, body mass 63.7 ± 10.3 kg). Resting SBP (110 ± 8 mmHg, r = 0.355, p = 0.049) was shown to be directly correlated to LVM/BSA (72.0 ± 28.4 g/m2). Conversely, eSBP (30.8 ± 14.6 ∆mmHg, r = -0.437, p = 0.014) was inversely related to LVM/BSA. eSBP was not correlated to interventricular septum width (0.88 ± 0.12 cm, r = -0.137, p = 0.463) or posterior wall thickness (0.91 ± 0.15 cm, r = -0.084, p = 0.654). eSBP was inversely related to left ventricle internal diameter during diastole (LVIDd) (4.25 ± 0.33 cm, r = -0.411, p = 0.021).

CONCLUSION

Counter to the hypothesis, these data suggest an inverse association between eSBP during resistance exercise and LVM/BSA in healthy young women who resistance train. This relationship is due to a smaller LVIDd with greater eSBP.

Characterisation of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide in dialysis patients and its reduced prognostic significance in the elderly

Characterisation of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in chronic haemodialysis patients and its prognostic significance in age stratification have not been addressed. A prospective cohort study with cross-sectional analyses at baseline was performed. Outcomes were all-cause mortality, non-malignancy-related mortality, and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related mortality. NT-proBNP was significantly higher in elderly, female, and low dry weight patients. Study patients were divided into two groups: Group-O (≥75 years) and Group-Y (<75 years). The 7-year follow-up receiver operating curve analysis showed that NT-proBNP significantly predicted all outcomes. All-cause mortality cut-off points were significantly different among the groups (total cohort, 5375 pg/mL; Group-Y, 3682 pg/mL; Group-O, 11750 pg/mL). Cox regression analysis showed risks for all outcomes by tertile NT-proBNP significantly higher in the total cohort and Group-Y as adjusted by potential confounders. For all-cause mortality, hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were T2 1.70 (0.89 to 3.25), p = 0.11, T3 2.95 (1.54 to 5.67), p < 0.01 in Group-Y; and T2 1.00 (0.64 to 1.58), p = 1.00; T3 1.50 (0.94 to 2.40), p = 0.09 in Group-O. In conclusion, NT-proBNP was significantly higher in elderly, female, and low dry weight chronic dialysis patients. NT-proBNP was significantly associated with all outcomes. However, this association was reduced in elderly patients.

Circulating bone morphogenetic protein-9 levels are associated with hypertension and insulin resistance in humans

It has been demonstrated that bone morphogenetic protein-9 (BMP-9) may have an important role in vascular development and stability. However, the association of circulating BMP-9 with essential hypertension (HTN) has not been established in humans. The objective of this study is to observe the changes of circulating BMP-9 levels in patients with HTN and to investigate the association of circulation BMP-9 and insulin resistance (IR) in a cross-sectional study. Two hundred twenty-five individuals, including 132 patients with hypertension, and 93 healthy controls, were included in the present study. Circulating BMP-9 concentrations were measured with an ELISA kit. The association of circulating BMP-9 with other parameters was analyzed. When compared with healthy subjects, circulating BMP-9 concentrations were markedly lower in HTN patients (46.20 [31.85-62.80] vs. 77.21 [39.33-189.15], P < .01) and correlated negatively with blood pressure and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (P < .05 or P < .01). Decreasing levels of BMP-9 were independently and markedly related to HTN. In a multiple linear regression analysis, only systolic blood pressure and free fatty acid concentrations were independently associated with circulating BMP-9. Our findings suggest that BMP-9 may be a serum biomarker for HTN and IR.