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. 2023 Aug 7:14:1212775.
doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1212775. eCollection 2023.

Hemodynamic responses to handgrip and metaboreflex activation are exaggerated in individuals with metabolic syndrome independent of resting blood pressure, waist circumference, and fasting blood glucose

Jon Stavres  1 , Ryan A Aultman  1 , Caleb F Brandner  1 , Ta'Quoris A Newsome  1 , Anabelle Vallecillo-Bustos  1 , Havens L Wise  1 , Alex Henderson  1 , Diavion Stanfield  1 , Joseph Mannozzi  2 , Austin J Graybeal  1
Affiliations

Hemodynamic responses to handgrip and metaboreflex activation are exaggerated in individuals with metabolic syndrome independent of resting blood pressure, waist circumference, and fasting blood glucose

Jon Stavres et al. Front Physiol. .

Abstract

Introduction: Prior studies report conflicting evidence regarding exercise pressor and metaboreflex responses in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Purpose: To test the hypotheses that 1) exercise pressor and metaboreflex responses are exaggerated in MetS and 2) these differences may be explained by elevated resting blood pressure. Methods: Blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were evaluated in 26 participants (13 MetS) during 2 min of handgrip exercise followed by 3 min of post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO). Systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP), along with HR and a cumulative blood pressure index (BPI), were compared between groups using independent samples t-tests, and analyses of covariance were used to adjust for differences in resting blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and waist circumference (WC). Results: ΔSBP (∼78% and ∼54%), ΔMAP (∼67% and ∼55%), and BPI (∼16% and ∼20%) responses were significantly exaggerated in individuals with MetS during handgrip and PECO, respectively (all p ≤ 0.04). ΔDBP, ΔMAP, and BPI responses during handgrip remained significantly different between groups after independently covarying for resting blood pressure (p < 0.01), and after simultaneously covarying for resting blood pressure, FBG, and WC (p ≤ 0.03). Likewise, peak SBP, DBP, MAP, and BPI responses during PECO remained significantly different between groups after adjusting for resting blood pressure (p ≤ 0.03), with peak SBP, MAP, and BPI response remaining different between groups after adjusting for all three covariates simultaneously (p ≤ 0.04). Conclusion: These data suggest that exercise pressor and metaboreflex responses are significantly exaggerated in MetS independent of differences in resting blood pressure, FBG, or WC.

Keywords: PECO; blood pressure; cardiovascular; exercise pressor response; metabolic disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Absolute systolic blood pressure [SBP; (A)], diastolic blood pressure [DBP; (B)], mean arterial pressure [MAP; (C)], and heart rate [HR; (D)] responses to 2 minutes of handgrip exercise (35% MVC) compared between individuals with (MetS) and without (CON) metabolic syndrome. Panels (E–H) depict group differences in the relative change scores (Δ) for each value. Black filled symbols represent Black/African American participants, white filled symbols represent White participants, gray filled symbols represent Asian participants, circles represent male participants, and triangles represent female participants. Lines connecting raw data points indicate participants matched for age, biological sex, race, and ethnicity. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation, * indicates a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Total area under the curve for mean arterial pressure [BPI; (A)] and BPI normalized to the time-tension index [BPInorm; (B)] recorded during 2 minutes of handgrip exercise (35% MVC) compared between individuals with (MetS) and without (CON) metabolic syndrome. Panels (C) represent BPI responses recorded during 3 minutes of post-exercise circulatory occlusion. Black filled symbols represent Black/African American participants, white filled symbols represent White participants, gray filled symbols represent Asian participants, circles represent male participants, and triangles represent female participants. Lines connecting raw data points indicate participants matched for age, biological sex, race, and ethnicity. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation, * indicates a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Absolute systolic blood pressure [SBP; (A)], diastolic blood pressure (DBP; (B), mean arterial pressure [MAP; (C)], and heart rate [HR; (D)] responses to 3 minutes of post-exercise circulatory occlusion compared between individuals with (MetS) and without (CON) metabolic syndrome. Panels (E–H) depict group differences in the relative change scores (Δ) for each value. Black filled symbols represent Black/African American participants, white filled symbols represent White participants, gray filled symbols represent Asian participants, circles represent male participants, and triangles represent female participants. Lines connecting raw data points indicate participants matched for age, biological sex, race, and ethnicity. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation, * indicates a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p < 0.05).
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Absolute systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cumulative blood pressure (BPI) responses to 2 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise [35% MVC; panels (A–D)] and 3 minutes of post-exercise circulatory occlusion [panels (E–H)] compared between individuals with (MetS) and without (CON) metabolic syndrome. Within each panel, group comparisons are further divided into hypertensive (HPTN) and normotensive (NT) MetS subgroups. Black filled symbols represent Black/African American participants, white filled symbols represent White participants, gray filled symbols represent Asian participants, circles represent male participants, and triangles represent female participants. Lines connecting raw data points indicate participants matched for age, biological sex, race, and ethnicity. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation; * indicates a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p < 0.05); d indicates Cohen’s d.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Absolute systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cumulative blood pressure (BPI) responses to 2 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise [35% MVC; panels (A–D)] and 3 minutes of post-exercise circulatory occlusion [panels (E–H)] compared between individuals with (MetS) and without (CON) metabolic syndrome. Within each panel, group comparisons are further divided into hyperglycemic (FBG>100) and non-hyperglycemic (FBG<100) MetS subgroups. Black filled symbols represent Black/African American participants, white filled symbols represent White participants, gray filled symbols represent Asian participants, circles represent male participants, and triangles represent female participants. Lines connecting raw data points indicate participants matched for age, biological sex, race, and ethnicity. Data presented as mean ± standard deviation; * indicates a statistically significant difference compared to the control group (p < 0.05); d indicates Cohen’s d.
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