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Resistance- and endurance-trained young men display comparable carotid artery strain parameters that are superior to untrained men

Ian Hornby-Foster, Cory T. Richards, Aimee Drane Orcid Logo, Freya M. Lodge, Michael Stembridge, Rachel N. Lord, Hannah Davey, Zaheer Yousef, Christopher J. A. Pugh Orcid Logo

European Journal of Applied Physiology, Volume: 125, Issue: 1, Pages: 131 - 144

Swansea University Author: Aimee Drane Orcid Logo

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Abstract

Purpose: Central arterial stiffness, a predictor of cardiovascular risk, attenuates with endurance-exercise in ageing populations. However, in young individuals, this effect is inconsistent and emerging evidence suggests resistance-exercise may increase arterial stiffness. Two-dimensional (2D)-Strai...

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Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology
ISSN: 1439-6319 1439-6327
Published: Springer Nature 2025
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71375
Abstract: Purpose: Central arterial stiffness, a predictor of cardiovascular risk, attenuates with endurance-exercise in ageing populations. However, in young individuals, this effect is inconsistent and emerging evidence suggests resistance-exercise may increase arterial stiffness. Two-dimensional (2D)-Strain imaging of the common carotid artery (CCA) is more sensitive at detecting endurance-training induced alterations in CCA stiffness than conventional methods, but has not been used to examine CCA stiffness in young resistance-trained individuals. Therefore, we compared CCA 2D-Strain parameters at rest, during acute exercise and recovery between resistance-trained, endurance-trained, and untrained young men. Methods: Short-axis CCA ultrasound images were obtained from 12 endurance-trained [27yrs (95%CI; 24–29)], 14 resistance-trained [24yrs (23–26)] and 12 untrained [23yrs (22–24] men at rest, during isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise and recovery. 2D-Strain analysis quantified CCA peak circumferential strain (PCS) and systolic (S-SR) and diastolic (D-SR) strain rates. Conventional stiffness indices included aortic pulse-wave velocity, CCA β-stiffness (β1) and Petersons elastic modulus (Ep). Results: Resting conventional stiffness indices were not different between groups (P > 0.05). Resting PCS and S-SR were comparable between resistance- [11.6% (10.6–12.5) and 1.46 s−1 (1.37–1.55), respectively] and endurance-trained [11.4% (10.7–12.2) and 1.5 s−1 (1.38–1.62)] men and superior to untrained men [9.5% (9.19–9.9); P < 0.004 and 1.24 s−1 (1.17 – 1.31); P < 0.018)]. Both trained groups displayed comparable reductions in PCS and S-SR during IHG, which returned to resting values during recovery (P < 0.001), whereas these parameters remained unchanged in untrained men. D-SR decreased during IHG in all groups (P < 0.001), but to a lesser extent in endurance-trained men (P < 0.023), whereas β1 and Ep increased to a similar magnitude in all groups and returned to resting values during recovery (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Resistance- and endurance-trained men display comparable CCA 2D-Strain parameters that are superior to untrained men, which contends previous reports that resistance-training increases CCA stiffness.
Keywords: Two-dimensional strain imaging; Carotid artery stiffness; Resistance-exercise; Endurance-exercise; Arterial health
College: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
Issue: 1
Start Page: 131
End Page: 144