Exercise Pressor Reflex and Lifelong Training

• Conditions: Cardiovascular Risk Factor; Healthy Aging
• Interventions: Behavioral: Exercise History

• Registration Number: NCT04013022
• Lead Sponsor: Universita di Verona

Brief Summary

Cardiovascular diseases represent the first mortality cause in the world. Ageing is considered as the most prominent risk factor for this kind of diseases. Also, hypertension represents one of the modifiable risk factors. Blood pressure response to exercise is governed by three systems: central command, baroreflex, and a feedback mechanism originating in the skeletal muscle. An abnormal cardiovascular response to exercise facilitates the occurrence of cardiovascular events. The goal of the study is to characterize the cardiovascular response in lifelong trained individuals and explore the potential benefits of endurance and strength training on cardiovascular regulation to exercise onset.

Detailed Description

Population ageing represents a problem both for health outcomes and for social dynamics in the social welfare states. Currently, the over 60 represents the fastest growing segment of the population. Despite a downward trend in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, they remain the main culprits for what concern mortality rates in the world. Increasing age is considered the major risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.

One of the main components of the cardiovascular response to exercise is dictated by the exercise pressor reflex originating in the exercising muscle and responding to metabolic and mechanical stimuli. Research indicates that at least 20% of the regulation of blood pressure could be ascribed to these cardiovascular reflexes. A dysfunctional reflex-mediated response increases the chances of cardiovascular events that may end up in severe consequences.

Chronic exercise training is recognized to be an important tool to control blood pressure. The mechanisms through which exercise exerts its effect are multiple. Among these, an improvement of the neural control of the reflex originating in the muscle seems a likely contributor. However, at present, the effect of chronic exercise training on the EPR response in the elderly has not been elucidated. The aim of the study is to characterize the central and peripheral cardiovascular response in the lifelong endurance and strength trained elders population.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-06-21
• Status Verified: 2019-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-07-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-07-06
• Study First Posted: 2019-07-09
• Last Update Posted: 2019-07-09
• Study Start: 2019-08-01
• Primary Completion: 2021-11-29
• Study Completion: 2021-11-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 48

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

• History of cardiovascular events/diseases
• Respiratory, musculoskeletal, renal, and insulin-resistant diseases
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Use of beta-blockers
• BMI ≥ 30

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Old Sedentary	Exercise History	Healthy and sedentary old subjects (age 65 - 75)
Old Endurance Trained	Exercise History	Healthy old subjects ( age 65 - 75) who participated in endurance sports for ≥30 years, ≥5 hours per week and ≥4 sessions per week
Young	Exercise History	Healthy young subjects (age 18 - 30 )
Old Strength Trained	Exercise History	Healthy old subjects ( age 65 - 75) who participated in resistance training/sports for ≥30 years, ≥5 hours per week and ≥4 sessions per week

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Heart Rate (HR)	1 week after recruitment of the subject - We will measure the change from baseline to peak (peak response in HR due to PLM)	Difference in heart rate between groups to passive leg movement (PLM)
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity - Microneurography	1 week after recruitment - We will measure the change from baseline to mean value (during stimulation)	Difference in muscle sympathetic nerve activity between groups to the different stimulations
Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP)	1 week after recruitment of the subject - We will measure the changes from baseline to the steady state response ( average of 3rd minute)	Difference in MAP between groups to post-exercise cuff occlusion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Muscle oxidative capacity in vivo / blood pressure response	10 days after recruitment - Cross-sectional comparison at one time point only	Linear regression to check whether an abnormal blood pressure response is explained by the different muscle oxidative capacity measured by NIRS in vivo

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Verona; 🇮🇹 Verona, Italy