Influence of Body Mass Index and Ovarian Cycle on Metaboreflex Zainab Nazar Al-Wahab* MSc
Abstract
Background: Sustained isometric (static) exercise followed by a period of post-exercise vascular occlusion and consequent skeletal muscles ischemia allows the preservation of sympatho-excitation (pressor effect) induced by skeletal metaboreceptors. Direct evidences of the effect of body mass index and phases of ovarian cycle on the contribution of metaboreflex on the pressor effect of metaboreflex were provided.
Objectives: To provide a comprehensive and optimized protocol for the assessment of metaboreflex activity and to provide evidences for the contribution of phases of ovarian cycle and the body mass index on the metaboreflex activity
Methods: Seventeen males and 7 females were recruited in the present study. The male subjects were divided according to their body mass index (BMI) into normal weight and overweight subjects. The female subjects were tested in two sessions, one during midluteal phase of ovarian cycle and the second session was during early follicular phase of ovarian cycle. The metaboreflex pressor response during post exercise vascular occlusion was isolated from pressor response of hand grip static exercise by recording blood pressure during exercise and during post exercise vascular occlusion. Metaboreflex contribution to the pressor effect on cardiovascular system (CVS) was calculated.
Results: In males, the mean blood pressure (MBP) and heart rate (HR) were increased during isometric hand grip exercise by 24% and 21% respectively. During post exercise vascular occlusion, MBP was maintained at a higher level (by 12%) relative to base level while HR was returned to base level. In male subjects, metaboreflex contribution to the pressor effect on CVS was found to be significantly and inversely correlated with the BMI and metaboreflex contribution tends to be significantly lower (by 37%) in overweight relative to normal weight subjects. In female subjects, No significant effect was observed of ovarian phases on the metaboreflex pressor response to sustained hand grip muscle exercise.
Conclusion: Body mass index affects metaboreflex activity while phases of ovarian cycle have no such effect.
Copyright (c) 2017 Iraqi Medical Journal

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