Heterogeneous vasodilator responses of human limbs: influence of age and habitual endurance training

Forearm endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired with age in sedentary, but not endurance-trained, men. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether these age- and physical activity-related differences in endothelium-dependent vasodilation also occur in the leg. Brachial and common femoral arterial blood flow were measured with Doppler ultrasound during increasing doses of acetylcholine (1, 4, and 16 microg.100 ml limb tissue(-1).min(-1)), substance P (8, 31, and 125 pg.100 ml limb tissue(-1).min(-1)), and sodium nitroprusside (0.063, 0.25, and 1 microg.100 ml limb tissue(-1).min(-1)) in 23 healthy men (8 younger sedentary, 8 older sedentary, and 7 older endurance trained). Increases in forearm blood flow to the highest dose of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside were smaller (P < 0.05) in older sedentary (841 +/- 142%, 428 +/- 74%) compared with younger sedentary (1,519 +/- 256%, 925 +/- 163%) subjects. Similarly, increases in forearm blood flow to sodium nitroprusside (1 microg.100 ml limb tissue(-1).min(-1)) were smaller (P < 0.05) in older endurance-trained (505 +/- 110%) compared with younger sedentary (925 +/- 163%) subjects. In contrast, no differences in leg blood flow responses to intra-arterial infusions of acetylcholine, substance P, or sodium nitroprusside were noted between subject groups. These results demonstrate that 1) acetylcholine- and sodium nitroprusside-induced vasodilation are attenuated in the forearm vasculature and preserved in the leg vasculature of older sedentary subjects and 2) sodium nitroprusside-induced vasodilation remains attenuated in the forearm vasculature of healthy older endurance-trained men but preserved in the leg vasculature of these men.