Arterial Aging and Autonomic Nervous System: Is the Relation Differently Modified by Physical Activity in Men and Women?

ALESSANDRO SESTUALESSANDRO LAIVeronica MurruAgnese FavaleANGELO SCUTERI^*

• University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

INTRODUCTION: Arterial aging is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and is beneficially influenced by physical activity. However, it is not clear whether the impact of physical activity on arterial stiffness differs in men and women and whether selected factors contribute to the sex-differences in the association of physical activity with arterial aging. METHODS: Data from healthy volunteers (n= 265; mean age: 40 ± 16 years, 42.6% women) were used. Arterial aging was assessed by carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV). Volunteers were categorized as: sedentary (no regular weekly physical activity) and regularly active. RESULTS: Physically active men presented a significantly lower PWV as compared to the sex-matched sedentary group (8.2 ± 0.2 versus 9.0 ± 0.3 m/sec, p < 0.01), In the fully adjusted model (adjusted for age, blood pressure, heart rate, muscular mass, fat mass, visceral adiposity), a steeper association between PWV and autonomic nervous system activity was observed in sedentary as compared to physical active men. Physical activity was associated with no difference in PWV (7.9 ± 0.3 versus 7.9 ± 0.2 m/sec) and no significant association between PWV and autonomic nervous system activity was observable in women. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity was associated with lower increase in arterial aging, indexed as pulse wave velocity, for any increase in autonomic nervous system activity in men. This effect was independent of age, blood pressure, and adiposity. The same effect was not observed in women. Future studies will clarify how these findings may represent an important strategy toa personalized approach for CV risk reduction.