Central arterial stiffness can influence exercise blood pressure (BP) by increasing the rise in arterial pressure per unit increase in aortic inflow. Whether central arterial stiffness influences the pressor response to isometric handgrip exercise (HG) and post-exercise muscle ischemia (PEMI), two common laboratory tests to study sympathetic control of BP, is unknown. We studied 46 healthy non-hypertensive males (23 young and 23 middle-aged) during HG (which increases in cardiac output [Q̇c]) and isolated metaboreflex activation PEMI (no change or decreases in Q̇c). Aortic stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity [aPWV]; applanation tonometry via SphygmoCor) was measured during supine rest and was correlated to the pressor responses to HG and PEMI. BP (photoplethysmography) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were continuously recorded at rest, during HG to fatigue (35 % maximal voluntary contraction) and 2-min of PEMI. aPWV was higher in middle-aged compared to young males (7.1 ± 0.9 vs 5.4 ± 0.7 m/s, P < 0.001). Middle-aged males also exhibited greater increases in systolic pressure (∆30 ± 11 vs 10 ± 8 mmHg) and MSNA (∆2313 ± 2006 vs 1387 ± 1482 %/min) compared to young males during HG (both, P < 0.03); with no difference in the Q̇c response (P = 0.090). Responses to PEMI were not different between groups. Sympathetic transduction during these stressors (MSNA-diastolic pressure slope) was not different between groups (P > 0.341). Middle-aged males displayed a greater increase in SBP per unit change of Q̇c during HG (∆SBP/∆Q̇c; 21 ± 18 vs 6 ± 10 mmHg/L/min, P = 0.004), with a strong and moderate relationship between the change in systolic (r = 0.53, P < 0.001) and diastolic pressure (r = 0.34, P = 0.023) and resting aPWV, respectively; with no correlation during PEMI. Central arterial stiffness can modulate pressor responses during stimuli associated with increases in cardiac output and sympathoexcitation in healthy males.

中央动脉僵硬度可以通过增加主动脉流入每单位的动脉压升高来影响运动血压（BP） 。中心动脉僵硬度是否影响等长握力运动 (HG) 和运动后肌肉缺血 (PEMI) 的升压反应，这两种研究交感血压控制的常见实验室测试尚不清楚。我们研究了 46 名健康非高血压男性（23 名年轻和 23 名中年）在 HG（心输出量增加 [Q̇c]）和孤立代谢反射激活 PEMI（Q̇c 没有变化或减少）期间。主动脉僵硬度（主动脉脉搏波速度[aPWV]；通过 SphygmoCor 压平张力测量）在仰卧休息期间测量，并与 HG 和 PEMI 的升压反应相关。在休息时、HG 至疲劳期间（35% 最大随意收缩）和 PEMI 2 分钟期间连续记录血压（光电体积描记法）和肌肉交感神经活动（MSNA）。中年男性的 aPWV 高于年轻男性（7.1 ± 0.9 vs 5.4 ± 0.7 m/s，P < 0.001）。与年轻男性相比，HG 期间中年男性的收缩压（Δ30 ± 11 vs 10 ± 8 mmHg）和 MSNA（Δ2313 ± 2006 vs 1387 ± 1482 %/min）也表现出更大的增加（两者均 P <0.03 ） ; Q̇c 响应没有差异（P = 0.090）。各组对 PEMI 的反应没有差异。这些应激源期间的交感神经传导（MSNA-舒张压斜率）在各组之间没有差异（P > 0.341）。HG 期间，中年男性每单位 Q̇c 变化，SBP 增加幅度更大（ΔSBP/ΔQ̇c；21 ± 18 vs 6 ± 10 mmHg/L/min，P = 0.004） ，收缩压（r = 0.53，P < 0.001）和舒张压（r = 0.34，P = 0.023）和静息 aPWV 分别发生变化；PEMI 期间没有相关性。中央动脉僵硬度可以调节与健康男性心输出量增加和交感神经兴奋相关的刺激期间的升压反应。