The Acute Effects of Mental Arithmetic, Cold Pressor and Maximal Voluntary Contraction on Arterial Stiffness in Young Healthy Subjects

Background Mental stress, dynamic exercise and cold pressor stimulation all increase blood pressure (BP); however, their effects on arterial stiffness are not well described. Methods : Twenty-three young healthy subjects (14 female/9 males), aged 18–30 years (23 ± 3 years), underwent mental arithmetic stress (mental arithmetic test [MAT]), cold presser test (CPT) and dynamic exercise (30% of maximal voluntary contraction [30% MVC]). Blood pressure and indices of arterial stiffness, pulse wave velocity (PWV; m/sec) and augmentation index (AIx; %) were measured at baseline, during the intervention (MAT, CPT and 30% MVC), and at 5 min and 10 min after the end of the intervention on separate days within a 3-week period. All values are given as means and standard deviations; statistical analysis was carried out using JMP software (Version 7). Results During MAT, CPT and 30% MVC there were respective increases in heart rate (HR/min) 27%, 16% and 10% ( P < 0.001); systolic BP 16%, 17% and 12% ( P < 0.01); diastolic BP 15%, 23% and 15% ( P < 0.01); AIx 13%, 29% and 30% ( P < 0.05); and PWV 14%, 12% and 16% ( P < 0.01). When the model was corrected for HR, systolic BP and diastolic BP the changes both in PWV and AIx remained significant ( P < 0.01). Conclusions MAT, CPT and 30% MVC each increase the indices of arterial stiffness independently of HR and baseline blood pressure levels.