Key result
Maximal cycle ergometer exercise in well-trained male cyclists elicited an exaggerated systolic blood pressure response (peak 231 mmHg), and pulse arrival time strongly correlated with it.
Why the study?
Data describing the blood pressure response in well-trained individuals are lacking, and continuous bio-signal measurements are needed to overcome the limitations of intermittent cuff-based measurements during exercise testing.
Does pulse arrival time (PAT) accurately correlate with systolic blood pressure during exercise testing in well-trained individuals?
Observational (n=18)
No
Does pulse arrival time (PAT) accurately correlate with systolic blood pressure during exercise testing in well-trained individuals?
Mean Difference: 95
Absolute Event Rate: 231% vs 136%
Well-trained male cyclists exhibit an exaggerated systolic blood pressure response to maximal exercise, and pulse arrival time shows strong potential as a continuous, cuff-less surrogate for systolic blood pressure monitoring.
Exaggerated SBP responses in well-trained athletes warrant cautious interpretation; leaves open PAT validity as continuous SBP surrogate in exercise.
Introduction: There is a lack of data describing the blood pressure response (BPR) in well-trained individuals. In addition, continuous bio-signal measurements are increasingly investigated to overcome the limitations of intermittent cuff-based BP measurements during exercise testing. Thus, the present study aimed to assess the BPR in well-trained individuals during a cycle ergometer test with a particular focus on the systolic BP (SBP) and to investigate pulse arrival time (PAT) as a continuous surrogate for SBP during exercise testing. Materials and Methods: Eighteen well-trained male cyclists were included (32.4 ± 9.4 years; maximal oxygen uptake 63 ± 10 ml/min/kg) and performed a stepwise lactate threshold test with 5-minute stages, followed by a continuous test to voluntary exhaustion with 1-min increments when cycling on an ergometer. BP was measured with a standard automated exercise BP cuff. PAT was measured continuously with a non-invasive physiological measurements device (IsenseU) and metabolic consumption was measured continuously during both tests. Results: At lactate threshold (281 ± 56 W) and maximal intensity test (403 ± 61 W), SBP increased from resting values of 136 ± 9 mmHg to maximal values of 219 ± 21 mmHg and 231 ± 18 mmHg, respectively. Linear within-participant regression lines between PAT and SBP showed a mean r 2 of 0.81 ± 17. Conclusion: In the present study focusing on the BPR in well-trained individuals, we observed a more exaggerated systolic BPR than in comparable recent studies. Future research should follow up on these findings to clarify the clinical implications of the high BPR in well-trained individuals. In addition, PAT showed strong intra-individual associations, indicating potential use as a surrogate SBP measurement during exercise testing.
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Heimark et al. (2022) conducted an observational in Healthy well-trained individuals (n=18). Maximal cycle ergometer exercise vs. Resting state was evaluated on Systolic blood pressure at maximal exercise intensity (MD 95). Maximal cycle ergometer exercise in well-trained male cyclists elicited an exaggerated systolic blood pressure response (peak 231 mmHg), and pulse arrival time strongly correlated with it.
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