Compliance in the deep and superficial conduit veins of the nonexercising arm is unaffected by short-term exercise

The effects of short-term dynamic and static exercise on compliance (CPL) in a single conduit vein in the nonexercising limb are not fully understood, although prolonged cycling exercise was found to produce a significant reduction of CPL in the veins. In this study, we investigated the cross-sectional area (CSA) and CPL in the brachial (deep) and basilic (superficial) veins of the nonexercising arm in 14 participants who performed a 5-min cycling exercise at 35% and 70% of peak oxygen uptake (study 1) and in 11 participants who performed a 2-min static handgrip exercise at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (study 2). The CSA in the deep and superficial veins at rest and during the final minute of exercise was measured by high-resolution ultrasonography during a short-duration cuff deflation protocol. The CPL in each vein was calculated as the numerical derivative of the cuff pressure and CSA curve. During short-term dynamic and static exercise, there was no change in CPL in either vein, but there was a decrease in CSA in both veins. The simultaneous findings of unchanged CPL and decreased CSA suggest that CPL during short-term exercise are independently controlled by the mechanisms responsible for exercise-induced sympathoexcitation in both single veins. Thus, short-term exercise does not alter CPL in both conduit superficial and deep veins in nonexercising upper arm.