Maximal Aerobic Capacity and the Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope as Predictors of Large Artery Stiffness in Apparently Healthy Subjects

In Brief PURPOSE Large artery stiffness is now recognized as an important marker of cardiovascular health. The purpose of the present investigation was to assess the relationship between large artery stiffness and the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) and to determine whether the OUES is a viable surrogate for maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) in a multivariate regression analysis developed to estimate large artery stiffness. METHODS Two hundred seventy-five apparently healthy subjects (149 men; age = 48.1 ± 15.8 years/126 women; age = 47.0 ± 15.3 years) participated in this study. Subjects underwent maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing to determine V̇O2max and the OUES. The OUES was calculated using 50% and 100% of the exercise data. Measurement of aortic wave velocity (AWV in meters/second) was obtained via magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Pearson product-moment correlation analysis revealed that V̇O2max (r = −0.49, P < .001), the OUES calculation using 50% of exercise data (r = −0.25, P < .001), and the OUES calculation using 100% of exercise data (r = −0.34, P < .001) were all significantly related to AWV. However, only V̇O2max was retained in a linear regression (also including age and resting systolic blood pressure) used to predict AWV. discusSION Previous research has demonstrated a relationship between V̇O2max and AWV, which was also found in the present study. While the OUES was significantly correlated with AWV, it does not appear to be an adequate replacement for V̇O2max when attempting to gauge large artery compliance. The relationship of large artery stiffness to maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O2max) and oxygen uptake efficiency slope was assessed. Although both were found to be significantly correlated with large artery stiffness, the relationship with V̇O2max was superior. Oxygen uptake efficiency slope does not appear to be an adequate replacement for V̇O2max when attempting to gauge arterial compliance.