March 15, 2005Hypertension
Gender-Selective Interaction Between Aging, Blood Pressure, and Sympathetic Nerve Activity
Key result
Aging in women was associated with a greater increase in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (6.5 bursts/min per decade) compared to men (2.6 bursts/min per decade; P<0.01 for slope difference).
Why the study?
Does aging have a greater impact on sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in women compared to men?
Population
216 healthy individuals (120 males and 96 females) aged 20 to 72 years.
Design
Cross-sectional
Authors
Discussion
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Implication
Age-related sympathetic activation may underlie steeper CVD rise in women; hypothesis-generating for sex-specific autonomic targets.
Key Points
- Examine the influence of aging on sympathetic nerve activity in women compared to men, as well as its implications for cardiovascular disease.
- Measured muscle sympathetic nerve activity, blood pressure, and heart rate in 216 healthy individuals aged 20 to 72 years.
- Analyzed variance in sympathetic nerve activity between genders using regression models.
- Age explained 53% of sympathetic nerve activity variance in females versus 8% in males (P<0.01).
- For each decade of life, women had a higher increase in nerve activity (6.5 bursts/min) compared to men (2.6 bursts/min).
- Every 10-burst/min increase in sympathetic activity resulted in a 2.7 mm Hg increase in blood pressure for men and 6.1 mm Hg for women.
Study Design
Type
Cross-Sectional (n=216)
Structured PICO
Does aging have a greater impact on sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in women compared to men?
P
Population
216 healthy adults aged 20 to 72 years evaluated for sex differences in age-related changes in sympathetic nerve activity.
O
Outcome
Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), blood pressure, and heart ratesurrogate
Main Result
Absolute Event Rate: 6.5% vs 2.6%
p-value: p=<0.01
Aging is accompanied by a significantly greater increase in sympathetic nerve activity and blood pressure in women than in men, which may contribute to the steeper age-related increase in cardiovascular disease risk in women.
Cite This Study
Narkiewicz et al. (2005) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy (n=216). Aging in women vs. Aging in men was evaluated on Increase in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) per decade of life (bursts/min) (p=<0.01). Aging in women was associated with a greater increase in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (6.5 bursts/min per decade) compared to men (2.6 bursts/min per decade; P<0.01 for slope difference).