Key result
Leg resistance artery function correlates positively with VO2max in cross-sectional testing.
Why the study?
It was unclear whether vascular function relates to VO2max in healthy young adults across different indices of conduit and resistance artery function.
Are indices of leg resistance artery function related to cycling VO2max in healthy young adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=22)
No
Are indices of leg resistance artery function related to cycling VO2max in healthy young adults?
Leg resistance artery function, rather than conduit artery function, is independently related to cycling VO2max, suggesting vascular interventions to improve exercise capacity should target resistance arteries.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Leg resistance artery function was associated with VO2max; hypothesis-generating for targeted vascular interventions to enhance exercise capacity.
Purpose While maximum blood flow influences one's maximum rate of oxygen consumption (V̇O2max), with so many indices of vascular function, it is still unclear if vascular function is related to V̇O2max in healthy, young adults. The purpose of this study was to determine if several common vascular tests of conduit artery and resistance artery function provide similar information about vascular function and the relationship between vascular function and V̇O2max. Methods Twenty-two healthy adults completed multiple assessments of leg vascular function, including flow-mediated dilation (FMD), reactive hyperemia (RH), passive leg movement (PLM), and rapid onset vasodilation (ROV). V̇O2max was assessed with a graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Results Indices associated with resistance artery function (e.g., peak flow during RH, PLM, and ROV) were generally related to each other (r = 0.47–77, p < .05), while indices derived from FMD were unrelated to other tests (p < .05). Absolute V̇O2max (r = 0.57–0.73, p < .05) and mass-specific V̇O2max (r = 0.41–0.46, p < .05) were related to indices of resistance artery function, even when controlling for factors like body mass and sex. FMD was only related to mass-specific V̇O2max after statistically controlling for baseline artery diameter (r = 0.44, p < .05). Conclusion Indices of leg resistance artery function (e.g., peak flow during RH, PLM, and ROV) relate well to each other and account for ~30% of the variance in V̇O2max not accounted for by other factors, like body mass and sex. Vascular interventions should focus on improving indices of resistance artery function, not conduit artery function, when seeking to improve exercise capacity.
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Gifford et al. (2020) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (n=22). Leg resistance artery function (RH, PLM, ROV) was evaluated on Correlation between indices of resistance artery function and absolute VO2max (r = 0.57-0.73, p=<0.05). Indices of leg resistance artery function, such as peak flow during reactive hyperemia, passive leg movement, and rapid onset vasodilation, were significantly correlated with absolute VO2max (r = 0.57-0.73, p < 0.05).
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