Christian Couppé1, Christian Have Dall2, Rene Brüggebusch Svensson3, Rasmus Huan Olsen4, Anders Karlsen3, Stephan Praet5, Eva Prescott4, S Peter Magnusson6. 1. Department of Physical Therapy, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; IOC Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital and Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: ccouppe@gmail.com. 2. Department of Physical Therapy, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; IOC Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital and Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Cardiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 3. IOC Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital and Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 4. Department of Cardiology, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. 5. Department of Sports Medicine, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, Australia. 6. Department of Physical Therapy, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; IOC Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital and Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Life-long regular endurance exercise yields positive effects on cardiovascular and metabolic function, disease and mortality rate. Glycation may be a major mechanism behind age-related diseases. However, it remains unknown if skin autofluorescence (SAF), which reflects glycation, is related to arterial and metabolic function in life-long endurance runners and sedentary controls. METHODS: Healthy elderly men: 15 life-long endurance runners (OT) (64±4years) and 12 old untrained (OU) (66±4years), and healthy young men; ten young athletes (YT) (26±4years) matched to OT for running distance, and 12 young untrained (YU) (24±3years) were recruited. Endothelial function (reactive hyperemia index, RHI) and arterial stiffness (augmentation index, AI@75 and AI) were measured by an operator-independent PAT 2000. SAF was non-invasively determined using an autofluorescence spectrometer. RESULTS: For AI@75 there was an effect of age (p<0.0001), but not training (p=0.71). There was an interaction for endothelial function (p<0.05): YT had higher RHI than YU (p<0.05) and OU (p<0.01). SAF was associated with arterial stiffness (r2=0.57, p<0.001), insulin and HOMA-index levels after age correction (both r2=0.19, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, these are the first data to show that skin autofluorescence (SAF) is linked to human arterial stiffness and insulin resistance in well-trained elderly and young men as well as sedentary controls. SAF may in the future be a helpful tool to predict vascular and metabolic dysfunction (early signs of aging and pathology). Surprisingly, endurance running only had modest effects on cardiovascular function compared to lean healthy controls.
BACKGROUND: Life-long regular endurance exercise yields positive effects on cardiovascular and metabolic function, disease and mortality rate. Glycation may be a major mechanism behind age-related diseases. However, it remains unknown if skin autofluorescence (SAF), which reflects glycation, is related to arterial and metabolic function in life-long endurance runners and sedentary controls. METHODS: Healthy elderly men: 15 life-long endurance runners (OT) (64±4years) and 12 old untrained (OU) (66±4years), and healthy young men; ten young athletes (YT) (26±4years) matched to OT for running distance, and 12 young untrained (YU) (24±3years) were recruited. Endothelial function (reactive hyperemia index, RHI) and arterial stiffness (augmentation index, AI@75 and AI) were measured by an operator-independent PAT 2000. SAF was non-invasively determined using an autofluorescence spectrometer. RESULTS: For AI@75 there was an effect of age (p<0.0001), but not training (p=0.71). There was an interaction for endothelial function (p<0.05): YT had higher RHI than YU (p<0.05) and OU (p<0.01). SAF was associated with arterial stiffness (r2=0.57, p<0.001), insulin and HOMA-index levels after age correction (both r2=0.19, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, these are the first data to show that skin autofluorescence (SAF) is linked to human arterial stiffness and insulin resistance in well-trained elderly and young men as well as sedentary controls. SAF may in the future be a helpful tool to predict vascular and metabolic dysfunction (early signs of aging and pathology). Surprisingly, endurance running only had modest effects on cardiovascular function compared to lean healthy controls.