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Cardiorespiratory responses and myocardial function within incremental exercise in healthy unmedicated older vs. young men and women

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Abstract

Background

Age-related differences concerning cardiorespiratory responses and myocardial function during exercise have not been extensively investigated in healthy populations.

Aims

To compare cardiorespiratory performance and myocardial function during maximal exercise in healthy/unmedicated men (older, n = 24, 63–75 years; young, n = 22, 19–25 years) and women (older, n = 18, age = 63–74 years; young, n = 23, 19–25 years).

Methods

Oxygen uptake (VO2), ventilation minute (V E), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (Q), O2 pulse (O2p), preejection period (PEP), and left ventricular ejection time (LVET) were assessed during cycle incremental exercise.

Results

HR and SV remained equivalent between age groups until 75 and 50% peak workload, respectively. Q increased by 2.5 and 4.5 times in older and young groups, respectively. However, Q/VO2 ratio was always similar across age and sex groups (∼0.50). The energetic efficiency ratio (W/VO2) was also alike in older and young men, but slightly lower in women. At maximal exercise, cardiorespiratory responses were lower in older than young men and women: VO2 (−40 to 50%), V E (−35 to 37%), HR (−23%), SV (−26 to 29%), Q (−43 to 45%), and O2p (−15 to 20%). Cardiac and SV indices were lower in older than young groups by approximately 42 and 25%, respectively. LVET was longer in the older individuals, while PEP was similar across age groups. Hence, PEP/LVET was lowered among older vs. young men and women.

Conclusion

Submaximal work capacity was preserved in healthy and unmedicated older individuals. Age-related lessening of maximal performance in both sexes was due to poor chronotropic and, particularly, inotropic properties of the heart.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Jacques H.P. Vanfraechem from the Free University of Brussels for the precious support during data collection and analysis. This study was supported by grants from the ‘Carlos Chagas Foundation for the Research Support at the State of Rio de Janeiro’ (FAPERJ) and ‘Brazilian Council for Technological and Research Development’ (CNPq).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Physical Activity and Health Promotion (LABSAU), Institute of Physical Education and Sports, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, sala 8121F; Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP: 20550-900, Brazil

    Paulo Farinatti, Walace Monteiro & Ricardo Oliveira

  2. Graduate Program in Sciences of Physical Activity, Salgado de Oliveira University, Niteroi, RJ, Brazil

    Paulo Farinatti & Walace Monteiro

  3. Sports Physiology Laboratory, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

    Antonio Crisafulli

  4. Graduate Program in Exercise and Sports Sciences, University of Rio de Janeiro State, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Ricardo Oliveira

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  1. Paulo Farinatti
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  2. Walace Monteiro
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  4. Antonio Crisafulli
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Correspondence to Paulo Farinatti.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Farinatti, P., Monteiro, W., Oliveira, R. et al. Cardiorespiratory responses and myocardial function within incremental exercise in healthy unmedicated older vs. young men and women. Aging Clin Exp Res 30, 341–349 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-017-0776-x

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