Associação da atividade física e aptidão cardiorrespiratória com estrutura e função vascular em idosos: um estudo transversal

Abstract

We investigated the associations of physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with markers of vascular health in community-dwelling older adults. This crosssectional study included 82 participants (66.8 ± 5.2 years; 81% females). Moderate-tovigorous physical activity (MVPA) was assessed with accelerometers and CRF was measured using the distance covered in the 6-min walk test (6MWT). The markers of vascular health were: i) arterial function measured as estimated aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV); ii) arterial structure as left common carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the beta association coefficients (β) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of MVPA and 6MWT with aPWV and cIMT. The models were adjusted for sex and Framingham risk score. The 6MWT performance was negatively associated with aPWV (β = -0.001; 95%CI = -0.0001; -0.001 m/s). No significant associations were observed between 6MWT and cIMT (β = -0.36; 95%CI = -0.78; 0.05 µm). MVPA was not associate with aPWV (β -0.001; 95%CI = -0,01; 0,01 m/s) and cIMT (β -0.53; 95%CI = -1,72; 0,66 µm). Participants in the quartiles 2, 3, and 4 of the 6MWT had lower aPWV than those from the quartile 1 (P<0.05). Also, participants in the quartile 4 had smaller cIMT compared to those from the quartile 1 (P<0.05). No significant associations were observed between quartiles of MVPA and cIMT (P<0.05). Lower 6MWT performance was observed in participants with impaired aPWV alone and both aPWV-cIMT than those with preserved aPWV-cIMT (P<0.05). In summary, higher CRF but not MVPA is associated with better vascular health in community-dwelling older adults.