Delineating the age‐related attenuation of vascular function: evidence supporting the efficacy of single passive leg movement.

Abstract

Passive leg movement (PLM), performed continuously, is a promising clinically relevant assessment of peripheral vascular function which declines with age. To further refine PLM, this study evaluated the efficacy of a single PLM (sPLM) to delineate between young and old healthy males based on vascular function.MethodsTwelve healthy young (26±5 yr) and 12 old (70±7 yr) underwent sPLM: blood flow was assessed by Doppler ultrasound at baseline, during, and for one minute after a single leg movement (range of motion 90°). Blood pressure was continuously recorded by finger photoplethysmography. Factor analysis assessed covariance. If a significant age difference emerged, a cut score was determined by a receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Data are mean±SD.ResultsAll blood flow and leg vascular conductance measures loaded into one factor (standardized loading ≥ 0.85), indicating the only physiological measure needed was blood flow. Baseline blood flows were similar between groups (p=0.626). Peak increase in blood flow from baseline was significantly attenuated in the old (Young: 717±227, Old: 260±97 ml·min−1, p<0.001; cut score: 485 ml·min−1, sensitivity 1, specificity 1) as was the total sPLM‐induced blood flow, above baseline, for 45 seconds (Young: 155±67, Old: 26±17ml, p<0.001; cut score: 72 ml, sensitivity 1, specificity 1).ConclusionsPLM, a simplified version of PLM, demonstrated strong qualities of a screening test for peripheral vascular function, evidenced by revealing the age‐related reduction in peripheral hyperemic response with clearly delineated cut scores. Indicating, sPLM has strong potential as an accurate screening test for age‐related attenuations in peripheral vascular function.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.