Age matters: differences in exercise-induced cardiovascular remodelling in young and middle aged healthy sedentary individuals

Abstract

Aims Remodelling of the cardiovascular system (including heart and vasculature) is a dynamic process influenced by multiple physiological and pathological factors. We sought to understand whether remodelling in response to a stimulus, exercise training, altered with healthy ageing. Methods A total of 237 untrained healthy male and female subjects volunteering for their first time marathon were recruited. At baseline and after 6 months of unsupervised training, race completers underwent tests including 1.5T cardiac magnetic resonance, brachial and non-invasive central blood pressure assessment. For analysis, runners were divided by age into under or over 35 years (U35, O35). Results Injury and completion rates were similar among the groups; 138 runners (U35: n = 71, women 49%; O35: n = 67, women 51%) completed the race. On average, U35 were faster by 37 minutes (12%). Training induced a small increase in left ventricular mass in both groups (3 g/m2, P < 0.001), but U35 also increased ventricular cavity sizes (left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV)i +3%; left ventricular end-systolic volume (ESV)i +8%; right ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV)i +4%; right ventricular end-systolic volume (ESV)i +5%; P < 0.01 for all). Systemic aortic compliance fell in the whole sample by 7% ( P = 0.020) and, especially in O35, also systemic vascular resistance (–4% in the whole sample, P = 0.04) and blood pressure (systolic/diastolic, whole sample: brachial –4/–3 mmHg, central –4/–2 mmHg, all P < 0.001; O35: brachial –6/–3 mmHg, central –6/–4 mmHg, all P < 0.001). Conclusion Medium-term, unsupervised physical training in healthy sedentary individuals induces measurable remodelling of both heart and vasculature. This amount is age dependent, with predominant cardiac remodelling when younger and predominantly vascular remodelling when older.

Certainties and Uncertainties of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Athletes

“…Cardiac morphology, function and adaptation to exercise changes with age [ 14 , 15 ]. In terms of cardiovascular screening for athletes the recommendation differentiates between young competitive athletes (<35 years) and master athletes (≥35 years) [ 16 ].…”

Early Life Exercise Training and Inhibition of Apolipoprotein B Expression to Improve Age-Related Arrhythmias and Prolong the Average Lifespan in Drosophila

“…Furthermore, exercise is the cornerstone of life. Sedentary behavior can cause cardiovascular remodeling, obesity, and even sudden cardiac death, which threatens health [10] [11] [12]. However, there is considerable difficulty and complexity in studying cardiac aging due to long life spans and genetic redundancy in mammals.…”

Midlife crisis? Keep running against the vascular aging clock!

“…It is a relief to read that in the study by Torlasco et al. 13 exercise training could effectively halt the presumed inevitable vascular aging process. In their study, central systolic blood pressure was reduced by 4 mmHg overall and by 6 mmHg in O35, which is significant with regard to cardiovascular risk reduction.…”

“…12 In this issue of the Journal, Torlasco et al describe agedependent changes in cardiovascular function and structure in sedentary healthy subjects training for their first marathon. 13 Younger subjects (>35 years old; U35) displayed classical 'athlete's heart' remodelling, while older subjects (35 years old; O35) had less prominent cardiac remodelling but prominent vascular remodelling. While absolute changes were small, and no linear association between age and remodelling parameters was found, the authors used gold-standard cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to assess remodelling in a large number of subjects, providing credibility to the results.…”