Individual sensitivity of cold pressor, environmental meteorological factors associated with blood pressure and its fluctuation

Abstract Long-chain n-3 PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) have been shown to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and vagal tone, but potential stress-mitigating effects of n-3 LCPUFA are not well investigated. We aim to explore the effects of oily fish consumption on long-term stress and the stress response in schoolchildren. Healthy 8-9-year-old children were randomized to receive ~300 g/week of oily fish or poultry for 12 ± 2 weeks. At baseline and endpoint, we measured erythrocyte n-3 LCPUFA, hair cortisol and the response to a 1-min cold pressor test (CPT) on saliva cortisol, blood pressure, and continuous electrocardiogram recordings. Of the 199 randomized children, 197 completed the trial. Hair cortisol did not differ between the groups, but a sex-interaction was indicated (Psex*group = 0.074, difference between means -0.9 (95% CI: -2.9,1.0) ng/g and 0.7 (-0.2,1.6) ng/g in boys and girls, respectively). The children in the fish group tended to be less prone to terminate CPT prematurely (OR 0.20 [0.02,1.04]). The mean heart beat interval during CPT was 18.2 (0.3,36.6) ms longer and the high frequency power increased (159 (29,289) ms2) in the fish versus the poultry group. The cardiac autonomic response in the 10 min following CPT was characterized by a sympathetic peak followed by a parasympathetic peak, which was most pronounced in the fish group. This exploratory study does not support a strong effect of oily fish consumption on stress, but indicates that oily fish consumption may increase vagal cardiac tone during the physiological response to CPT. These results warrant further investigation.

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High prevalence of ascending aortic dilation in adults with repaired coarctation of the aorta

Cardiology in the Young ◽

10.1017/s1047951121000111 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Daniel Rinnström ◽

Mikael Dellborg ◽

Ulf Thilén ◽

Peder Sörensson ◽

Niels-Erik Nielsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Aortic Valve ◽

Aortic Valve Disease ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Coarctation Of The Aorta ◽

Valve Disease ◽

Aortic Dilation ◽

Factors Associated ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Life Threatening

Abstract Background: Ascending aortic dilation is a feared complication in adults with repaired coarctation of the aorta, as the condition is associated with life-threatening complications such as aortic dissection and rupture. However, the data are currently limited regarding factors associated with ascending aortic dilation in these patients. Methods and results: From the national register of congenital heart disease, 165 adult patients (≥ 18 years old) with repaired coarctation of the aorta, and echocardiographic data on aortic dimensions, were identified (61.2% male, mean age 35.8 ± 14.5 years). Aortic dilation (aortic diameters > 2 SD above reference mean) was found in 55 (33.3%) of the 165 included patients, and was associated with manifest aortic valve disease in univariable logistic regression analysis (OR 2.44, 95% CI [1.23, 4.83]). Conclusions: Aortic dilation is common post-repair of coarctation of the aorta, and is associated with manifest aortic valve disease and thus indirectly with the presence of a bicuspid aortic valve. However, no association was found between aortic dilation and age or blood pressure.

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Variability of the haemodynamic responses to laboratory tests employed in assessment of neural cardiovascular regulation in man

Clinical Science ◽

10.1042/cs0690533 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 69 (5) ◽

pp. 533-540 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Gianfranco Parati ◽

Guido Pomidossi ◽

Agustin Ramirez ◽

Bruno Cesana ◽

Giuseppe Mancia

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Test Performance ◽

Blood Pressure Response ◽

Cold Pressor Test ◽

Cold Pressor ◽

Cardiovascular Regulation ◽

Pressor Test ◽

Carotid Baroreceptor ◽

Baroreceptor Stimulation

1. In man evaluation of neural cardiovascular regulation makes use of a variety of tests which address the excitatory and reflex inhibitory neural influences that control circulation. Because interpretation of these tests is largely based on the magnitude of the elicited haemodynamic responses, their reproducibility in any given subject is critical. 2. In 39 subjects with continuous blood pressure (intra-arterial catheter) and heart rate monitoring we measured (i) the blood pressure and heart rate rises during hand-grip and cold-pressor test, (ii) the heart rate changes occurring during baroreceptor stimulation and deactivation by injection of phenylephrine and trinitroglycerine, and (iii) the heart rate and blood pressure changes occurring with alteration in carotid baroreceptor activity by a neck chamber. Each test was carefully standardized and performed at 30 min intervals for a total of six times in each subject. 3. The results showed that the responses to any test were clearly different from one another and that this occurred in all subjects studied. For the group as a whole the average response variability (coefficient of variation) ranged from 10.2% for the blood pressure response to carotid baroreceptor stimulation to 44.2% for the heart rate response to cold-pressor test. The variability of the responses was not related to basal blood pressure or heart rate, nor to the temporal sequence of the test performance. 4. Thus tests employed for studying neural cardiovascular control in man produce responses whose reproducibility is limited. This phenomenon may make it more difficult to define the response magnitude typical of each subject, as well as its comparison in different conditions and diseases.

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