Retarded apical kinetic energy fluid dynamics were detected using VFM and were closely associated with LV spherical remodelling in patients with high LA pressure.

Background No meta-analysis has examined the effect of regular aquatic exercise on blood pressure. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of regular aquatic exercise on blood pressure. Design A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Methods Databases were searched for literature published up to April 2017. The randomized controlled trials analysed involved healthy adults, an intervention group that only performed aquatic exercise and a control group that did not exercise, no other intervention, and trials indicated mean systolic blood pressure or diastolic blood pressure. The net change in blood pressure was calculated from each trial, and the changes in blood pressure were pooled by a random effects model, and the risk of heterogeneity was evaluated. Subgroup analysis of subjects with hypertension, subjects who performed endurance exercise (or not), and subjects who only swam (or not) was performed, and the net changes in blood pressure were pooled. Results The meta-analysis examined 14 trials involving 452 subjects. Pooled net changes in blood pressure improved significantly (systolic blood pressure -8.4 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure -3.3 mmHg) and the changes in systolic blood pressure contained significant heterogeneity. When subjects were limited to those with hypertension, those who performed endurance exercise and subjects who did not swim, pooled net changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly, but the heterogeneity of systolic blood pressure did not improve. Conclusion Like exercise on land, aquatic exercise should have a beneficial effect by lowering blood pressure. In addition, aquatic exercise should lower the blood pressure of subjects with hypertension, and other forms of aquatic exercise besides swimming should also lower blood pressure.

Normally, central elastic arteries (e.g., aorta and common carotid artery) effectively buffer cardiac pulsation-induced flow/pressure fluctuations. With advancing age, arterial stiffening deteriorates this function and produces the greater cerebral hemodynamic pulsatility that impacts vulnerable brain tissue. It is well known that the buffering function of the central artery is improved by regular aerobic exercise, but the influence of endurance training on the pulsatile component of cerebral hemodynamics remains poorly understood. To characterize the functional role of the central artery at the heart-brain hemodynamic connection comprehensively, we assessed relations among the endurance training-induced changes in the left ventricle (LV), carotid arterial compliance, and cerebral hemodynamics. Thirteen collegiate tennis players (20 ± 1 yr) underwent a 16-wk endurance training intervention designed for improving cardiovascular function. Expectedly, maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o2peak), LV ejection velocity (via Doppler ultrasound), and the maximal rate of pressure increase of estimated aortic pressure waveform (via general transfer function) improved after the training intervention, whereas middle cerebral arterial (MCA) hemodynamics (via transcranial Doppler), such as mean and pulsatile flow velocities, remained unchanged. Carotid arterial compliance (via ultrasound and applanation tonometry) increased after the training intervention, and a larger increase in carotid arterial compliance was significantly associated with the greater attenuations of pulsatile MCA velocity (r = -0.621) normalized by mean MCA velocity. These results suggest that the training-induced improvement of carotid artery Windkessel function might offset the expected increase in the pulsatile component of cerebral perfusion induced by the enhanced LV systolic function.

Aim:No meta-analysis has examined the effect of regular aquatic endurance exercise on lipid and lipoprotein levels. The purpose of the current work was to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of regular aquatic endurance exercise on lipid and lipoprotein levels. Methods: The inclusion criteria of the randomized controlled trials were healthy adults in an exercise group performing regular aquatic exercise and a control group not exercising, with a description of the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol, or triglyceride levels provided. The net change in the lipid and lipoprotein levels was calculated from each trial, and the changes in the lipid and lipoprotein levels were pooled using a random effects model. Results:The meta-analysis examined 10 trials involving aquatic endurance exercise and 327 subjects. The pooled net changes in HDL-C, LDL-C, and total cholesterol improved significantly (HDL-C, 4.6 mg/dL; LDL-C, 10.1 mg/dL; total cholesterol, 8.5 mg/dL). When trials were limited to those involving only women, the pooled net changes in HDL-C, LDL-C, and total cholesterol improved significantly. When trials were limited to those involving subjects with a mean age 60 years, the pooled net changes in HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglyceride improved significantly. When trials were limited to those with dyslipidemia, the pooled net changes in HDL-C, LDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglyceride improved significantly. Conclusions: Aquatic endurance exercise improved the lipid and lipoprotein levels and benefited women, middle-aged subjects, and patients with dyslipidemia in particular.

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