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Comparative Study
. 2010 Jan;12(1):58-65.
doi: 10.1093/eurjhf/hfp168.

Impact of gender on benefits of exercise training on sympathetic nerve activity and muscle blood flow in heart failure

Ligia M Antunes-Correa  1 , Ruth C Melo, Thais S Nobre, Linda M Ueno, Fabio G M Franco, Ana M W Braga, Maria U P B Rondon, Patricia C Brum, Antonio C P Barretto, Holly R Middlekauff, Carlos E Negrao
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Impact of gender on benefits of exercise training on sympathetic nerve activity and muscle blood flow in heart failure

Ligia M Antunes-Correa et al. Eur J Heart Fail. 2010 Jan.

Abstract

Aims: We compared the effects of exercise training on neurovascular control and functional capacity in men and women with chronic heart failure (HF).

Methods and results: Forty consecutive HF outpatients from the Heart Institute, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil were divided into the following four groups matched by age: men exercise-trained (n = 12), men untrained (n = 10), women exercise-trained (n = 9), women untrained (n = 9). Maximal exercise capacity was determined from a maximal progressive exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Forearm blood flow was measured by venous occlusion plethysmography. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) was recorded directly using the technique of microneurography. There were no differences between groups in any baseline parameters. Exercise training produced a similar reduction in resting MSNA (P = 0.000002) and forearm vascular resistance (P = 0.0003), in men and women with HF. Peak VO(2) was similarly increased in men and women with HF (P = 0.0003) and VE/VCO(2) slope was significantly decreased in men and women with HF (P = 0.0007). There were no significant changes in left-ventricular ejection fraction in men and women with HF.

Conclusion: The benefits of exercise training on neurovascular control and functional capacity in patients with HF are independent of gender.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) quantified as bursts/min (A) and bursts/100 heart beats (B) in exercise-trained men and women with heart failure and untrained men and women with heart failure. Exercise training markedly and similarly reduced muscle sympathetic nerve activity levels in men and women with heart failure. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity levels were not significantly changed in untrained men and women with heart failure.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forearm blood flow (FBF) (A) and forearm vascular resistance (FVR) (B) in exercise-trained men and women with heart failure and untrained men and women with heart failure. Exercise training markedly and similarly increased forearm blood flow levels in men and women with heart failure. In addition, exercise training significantly and similarly reduced forearm vascular resistance in men and women with heart failure. Forearm blood flow and forearm vascular resistance were not significantly changed in untrained men and women with heart failure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Peak oxygen uptake (Peak VO2) in exercise-trained men and women with heart failure and untrained men and women with heart failure. Exercise training markedly and similarly increased peak VO2 levels in men and women with heart failure. Peak VO2 was not significantly changed in untrained men and women with heart failure.
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