Abstract 10585: Racial Differences in Arterial Stiffness Following Acute Bouts of Anaerobic Exercise

Abstract

African Americans (AA) experience an exaggerated hemodynamic response during recovery from aerobic exercise compared to Caucasian Americans (CA). There is also evidence that local arterial stiffness increases and systemic vasculature stiffness decreases following aerobic exercise. Despite the growing popularity of high-intensity anaerobic exercise, no study has examined racial differences in arterial stiffness following maximal anaerobic exercise between AA and CA women. Purpose: To compare local and systemic arterial stiffness during recovery from repeated bouts of maximal anaerobic exercise in young, healthy AA and CA women. Methods: Twenty (AA: n=8, age = 22±1yrs, BMI = 24.7±0.8 kg/m 2 ; CA: n=12, age = 22±1 yrs, BMI = 22.9 ±0.7 kg/m 2 ) healthy women without hypertension completed two bouts of maximal anaerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer with 30 minutes of recovery between bouts. Hemodynamic measurements were taken at resting, and 5 (P5-post-EX1), 15 (P15 post-EX1), and 30 minutes (P30 post-EX1) following a maximal anaerobic exercise test on cycle ergometer, and 5 (P5 post-EX2), 15 (P15 post-EX2), and 30 (P30 post-EX2) minutes following the second maximal anaerobic exercise test. Local carotid arterial compliance (AC) was assessed using ultrasonography and systemic arterial stiffness was assessed by augmentation index (AIx@75) and segmental arterial stiffness assessed by central Pulse Wave Velocity (cPWV) using SphygmoCor. Data were analyzed by 2 by 7 (race *time) repeated measures ANOVA. Results: See Table 1. Conclusion: There is less variation in local carotid arterial compliance in AA women compared to CA women following repeated bouts of maximal anaerobic exercise despite similar systemic or segmental arterial stiffness. Racial differences in arterial distensibility between AA and CA women in response to maximal anaerobic exercise may be limited to localized changes in the predominantly elastic carotid artery.