P121 Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness with Arterial Stiffness and Peripheral and Central Blood Pressure in Resistant Hypertension Patients

Abstract

Background

The relationship between arterial stiffness, blood pressure (BP) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has been studied in healthy populations and cardiovascular patients, since all of which proved to be independent predictors of all-cause mortality. We aimed to investigate the association of CRF with arterial stiffness and peripheral and central hemodynamics, in patients with resistant hypertension (RT).

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, 30 patients (13 men, 17 women; age, 57.7 ± 8.1 years; weight, 79.2 ± 11.6 kg; body mass index, 29.7 ± 4.0 kg/m²) with resistant hypertension were recruited in the Hospital Infante D. Pedro (Aveiro) and Hospital Pedro Hispano (Matosinhos). Outcome measures included CRF (VO2peak), peripheral and central BP, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). Correlation analysis was conducted to assess the association between variables.

Results

A significant negative correlation was found between VO2peak (33.7 ± 6.2 mLO₂/kg/min) and central (141.0 ± 21.3 mmHg; r = −0.395, p = 0.031) and peripheral systolic BP (148.4 ± 21.3 mmHg; r = −0.363, p = 0.049). VO2 peak was also correlated with pulse pressure (PP) amplification ratio (1.2 ± 0.1 mmHg; r = 0.361, p = 0.050). The association with central systolic BP (r = −0.403, p = 0.035) and PP amplification ratio (r = 0.408, p = 0.033) remained significant after adjusted for age. VO2 peak showed no correlation with PWV (9.4 ± 2.9 m/s; r = −0.075, p = 0.694) and peripheral (88.1 ± 12.2 mmHg; r = −0.138 p = 0.467) and central diastolic BP (88.5 ± 12.7 mmHg; r = −0.133, p = 0.483).

Conclusion

This study confirms the inverse relationship between CRF and central systolic BP and PP amplification ratio in RH patients, regardless of age.