Left ventricular diastolic filling and systolic function of young and older trained and untrained men

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) 2003-12, Vol.95 (6), p.2570-2575
• Main Authors: Baldi, James C, McFarlane, Kendra, Oxenham, Helen C, Whalley, Gillian A, Walsh, Helen J, Doughty, Robert N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging; Aging - physiology; Anaerobic Threshold - physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Circulatory system; Diastole - physiology; Echocardiography; Exercise; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Heart; Humans; Male; Men; Middle Aged; Mitral Valve - diagnostic imaging; Mitral Valve - physiology; Older people; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Physical Fitness - physiology; Systole - physiology; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology; Young adults
• ISSN: 8750-7587; 1522-1601
• DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00441.2003

Departments of 1 Sport and Exercise Science and 2 Cardiovascular Research, School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand Submitted 1 May 2003 ; accepted in final form 21 July 2003 Aging is associated with impaired early diastolic filling; however, the effect of endurance training on resting diastolic function in older subjects is unclear. Heart rate and ventricular loading conditions affect mitral inflow velocities measured by Doppler echocardiography; therefore, tissue Doppler imaging of mitral annular velocity, which is relatively preload independent, was combined with mitral inflow velocity and maximal oxygen consumption ( O 2 max ) in young (20-35 yr) and older (60-80 yr) trained and untrained men to determine whether endurance training is associated with an attenuation of age-associated changes in diastolic filling. As expected, O 2 max was higher in trained men ( P < 0.01) and lower in older men ( P < 0.01). Peak early mitral inflow velocity (E) and early-to-late mitral inflow velocity ratios were lower in older vs. young men ( P < 0.01); however, there was no training effect ( P > 0.05). Peak early mitral annular velocity (E') was higher and peak late mitral annular velocity (A') was lower in young vs. older men ( P < 0.01). A significant interaction effect was found for A', E'/A', and peak systolic mitral annular velocity (S'). Training was associated with lower A' in young and higher A' in older men. S' was greater in trained vs. untrained older men ( P < 0.05), but it was similar in trained and untrained young men. These findings suggest that early diastolic filling is not affected by training in older men, and the effect of training on A' and S' is different in young and older men. diastolic function; aging; endurance training; maximal aerobic capacity (maximal oxygen consumption), tissue Doppler imaging Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: J. C. Baldi, Dept. of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand (E-mail: j.baldi{at}auckland.ac.nz ).