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Effect of passive heat stress and exercise in the heat on arterial stiffness

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Abstract

Purpose

Prior evidence indicates that acute heat stress and aerobic exercise independently reduce arterial stiffness. The combined effects of exercise and heat stress on PWV are unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of heat stress with passive heating and exercise in the heat on arterial stiffness.

Methods

Nine participants (n = 3 females, 47 ± 11 years old; 24.1 ± 2.8 kg/m2) completed four trials. In a control trial, participants rested supine (CON). In a passive heating trial (PH), participants were heated with a water-perfusion suit. In two other trials, participants cycled at ~50% of \({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{ 2 {\text{peak}}}}\) in a hot (~40 °C; HC trial) or cool (~15 °C; CC trial) environment. Arterial stiffness, measured by PWV, was obtained at baseline and after each intervention (immediately, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min post). Central PWV (C PWV) was assessed between the carotid/femoral artery sites. Upper and lower peripheral PWV was assessed using the radial/carotid (U PWV) and dorsalis pedis/femoral (L PWV) artery sites. The mean body temperature (T B) was calculated from the skin and rectal temperatures.

Results

No significant changes in T B were observed during the CON and CC trials. As expected, the PH and HC trials elevated T B 2.69 ± 0.23 °C and 1.67 ± 0.27 °C, respectively (p < 0.01). PWV did not change in CON, CC, or HC (p > 0.05). However, in the PH trial, U PWV was reduced immediately (−107 ± 81 cm/s) and 15 min (−93 ± 82 cm/s) post-heating (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Heat stress via exercise in the heat does not acutely change arterial stiffness. However, passive heating reduces U PWV, indicating that heat stress has an independent effect on PWV.

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Abbreviations

CC:

Cool cycling trial

CON:

Control trial

C PWV :

Central pulse wave velocity

HC:

Heat cycling trial

L PWV :

Lower peripheral pulse wave velocity

MAP:

Mean arterial pressure

PH:

Passive heating trial

PWV:

Pulse wave velocity

T B :

Mean body temperature

T rec :

Rectal temperature

T sk :

Mean skin temperature

U PWV :

Upper peripheral pulse wave velocity

\({\dot{\text{V}}\text{O}}_{{ 2 {\text{peak}}}}\) :

Peak oxygen consumption

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the participants for their time and dedication to this study. Without the faculty, staff, and students who assisted us in the Exercise Science Research Center, this study would not have been possible. Specifically, we would like to thank Megan Rosa-Caldwell, Stavros A. Kavouras, Ph.D., JD Adams, Ph.D., Haley C. Reynebeau, Monica Ziebart, Ben Harris, and Shari Witherspoon for their help in executing this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Science Research Center, University of Arkansas, 155 Stadium Dr., HPER 321, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA

    Aaron R. Caldwell, Forrest B. Robinson, Matthew A. Tucker, Cash H. Arcement, Cory L. Butts, Brendon P. McDermott & Matthew S. Ganio

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  1. Aaron R. Caldwell
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  2. Forrest B. Robinson
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  3. Matthew A. Tucker
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  4. Cash H. Arcement
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  6. Brendon P. McDermott
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  7. Matthew S. Ganio
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Correspondence to Matthew S. Ganio.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to report.

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Funding was through the corresponding author’s internal money from the University of Arkansas and a grant from the University of Arkansas’ Honors College.

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Communicated by Narihiko Kondo.

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Caldwell, A.R., Robinson, F.B., Tucker, M.A. et al. Effect of passive heat stress and exercise in the heat on arterial stiffness. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 1679–1687 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3658-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3658-1

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