Changes in Cardiovascular Health Following Exercise in Older Men and Women at Risk for Dementia

Abstract

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of a 24-week multiple-modality exercise intervention with additional mind-motor training on cardiovascular health and fitness. The secondary objective was to investigate whether the intervention had gender-specific effects on the study outcomes. METHODS: Community-dwelling older adults (n = 127, age = 67.5 [7.3] yr, 71% women) were randomized to a 45-min multiple-modality exercise intervention with additional 15 minutes of either mind-motor training (M4 group) or an active control intervention (15 minutes of balance, range of motion and breathing exercises, [M2 group]). Assessment occurred at: baseline, 24 weeks (intervention endpoint), and 52 weeks (after a 28-week no-contact follow-up). The study outcomes were: predicted maximal oxygen consumption (pVO2max), automated office blood pressure (BP), carotid atrial compliance (cAC), intima-media thickness (cIMT), as well as body weight. Mixed between-within ANOVA was used to examine: i) main effects of time (baseline vs 24 weeks), intervention group (M4 vs M2) and gender (men vs women); ii) interactions of time x intervention group, and time x gender. RESULTS: Results at 24 weeks: both M4 and M2 demonstrated improvements in pVO2max (p<.001), with no interaction effects for group or gender (all p>.05). For BP measures, both groups showed reduction in systolic (p<.001) and diastolic (p=.001) BP, with no interaction effect for intervention group; however, women showed greater reduction in diastolic BP compared to men (p=.02). No significant changes were observed in cIMT, cAC, or body weight. Results at 52 weeks: improvements in pVO2max were retained (p<.001), however, the M4 group showed higher pVO2max when compared to M2 (p=.005), with no interaction effects for gender. Significant reduction in systolic BP (p<.001) was observed for both M4 and M2, with no interaction effects for group or gender. For diastolic BP, M4 showed significant reduction compared to M2 (p=.04); women also demonstrated greater reduction compared to men (p=.02). There was no significant change in cIMT, cAC or body weight. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that women may be more likely to benefit from group-based, multiple-modality exercise programs in measures of cardiovascular health.