Abstract 13728: Poor Trunk Flexibility is Associated With Greater Progression of Age-related Arterial Stiffening: A 5-year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Introduction: Low level of physical fitness, especially cardiorespiratory fitness, appear to accelerate age-related aortic stiffening. Whereas, some studies have reported that flexibility, is one of the components of physical fitness, is also associated with arterial stiffening independent of cardiorespiratory fitness in cross sectional studies. However, no longitudinal study has determined whether poor trunk flexibility might accelerate the progression of age-related aortic stiffening. Hypothesis: Poor trunk flexibility is associated with greater progression of age-related aortic stiffening in apparently healthy adults. Methods: We examined trunk flexibility and aortic stiffness progression in a 5-year follow-up study of 361 healthy men and women aged 27-73 years. Trunk flexibility was measured by a sit-and-reach test. Aortic stiffness was assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) at baseline and after 5 years. To assess the effects of flexibility level on the progression of aortic stiffening, the participants were categorized into tertiles (Low, Middle, High) based on their sit-and-reach test values at baseline. ANCOVA was used to analyze the association of the annual rate of cfPWV (cm/ sec/ year) [annual ΔcfPWV = (follow-up cfPWV- baseline cfPWV) / follow-up years] across flexibility levels. Baseline age, BMI, cfPWV, brachial systolic blood pressure, cardiorespiratory fitness and sex were entered as covariates for adjustment. Results: The annual ΔcfPWV was significantly greater in the low (poor) flexibility group (10.95±2.49 cm/sec/year) than in the high flexibility group (2.19±2.41 cm/sec/year) (P=0.041). An inverse relationship was observed between flexibility level and the annual ΔcfPWV (P for trend = 0.042). The multiple regression analysis revealed that baseline sit and reach (β = -0.125), age (β = 0.197), cfPWV (β = - 0.432), cardiorespiratory fitness (β = -0.144), and sex (β = - 0.174) were independent correlates of ΔcfPWV. These data indicate that flexibility is associated with aortic stiffness, independent of other factors already known to be related to arterial stiffness. Conclusions: Poor flexibility is associated with greater progression of age-related aortic stiffening.