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Effect of arterial stiffness on hemodynamic responses to the cold pressor test in men and women
Author(s) -
Tucker Matthew A.,
Looney Jacob,
Lyon Matthew,
Layman Lawrence C.,
Pollock David M.,
Harris Ryan A.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.847.11
Subject(s) - arterial stiffness , medicine , hemodynamics , cold pressor test , blood pressure , cardiology , heart rate , diastole , haemodynamic response , bruce protocol , vascular resistance , mean arterial pressure
Differences in arterial stiffness between men and women have been described and may partly explain the sex‐related disparity in cardiovascular disease risk. Sex differences in the hemodynamic response to a cold pressor test (CPT) have also been described. However, it is unknown if arterial stiffness influences the hemodynamic response to a CPT and whether sex differences in this relationship exist. PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and hemodynamic responses to CPT in healthy men and women. METHODS 18 men (age 29 ± 6 y, BMI = 26.4 ± 4.8 kg/m 2 ) and 10 women (age 28 ± 6 y, BMI = 24.9 ± 5.1 kg/m 2 ) participated in this study. Arterial stiffness was assessed via automated analyses of brachial and estimated aortic pressure waveforms to determine AIx75 (an indirect marker of arterial stiffness, corrected for a heart rate of 75 bpm). The CPT protocol consisted of a 5 min baseline followed by immersion of the right hand up to the wrist in ice water (~2°C) for 3 min. Hemodynamic parameters including total peripheral resistance index (TPRI), cardiac index (CI), and diastolic/systolic blood pressure (DBP/SBP) were measured throughout the protocol using beat‐to‐beat monitoring of the ‐ finger arterial pressure (Finapres NOVA). RESULTS Baseline measures of AIx75, TPRI, CI, DBP, and SBP were not statistically different between sexes (all p>0.05). Independent of sex, TPRI, CI, DBP, and SBP all increased in response to CPT (all p<0.001). Overall, AIx75 was significantly correlated with the change (Δ) in TPRI (r=0.406, p=0.032) and ΔCI (r=−0.438, p=0.020). However, AIx75 was positively associated with ΔTPRI in men (r=0.536, p=0.022) but not women (r=0.092, p=0.801). Similarly, there was a trend towards significance in the relationship between AIx75 and ΔCI (r=−0.462, p=0.054) and ΔSBP (r=0.401, p=0.099) in men, but not in women (r=−0.456, p=0.186 and r=−0.402, p=0.249, respectively). CONCLUSION These data suggest that arterial stiffness is associated with an increased vascular resistance response to CPT in men but not women. The sex‐dependent disparity in the observed relationships between arterial stiffness and ΔTPRI suggests that basal arterial stiffness influences the hemodynamic response to sympathoexcitation differently between sexes. Further evaluation of the exact mechanisms are warranted. Support or Funding Information NIH/NHLBI P01HL06999 (R.A.H.)