Effects of age and acclimation on responses to passive heat exposure

1993 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 2162-2167 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. G. Armstrong ◽  
W. L. Kenney

To examine the effect of chronological age on thermoregulation during passive heat exposure, six older (O, 61 +/- 1 yr) and six young (Y, 26 +/- 2 yr) men sat at rest during a 30-min baseline period (dry-bulb temperature = 28 degrees C), a 60-min thermal transient (28–46 degrees C by 2 degrees C steps every 5 min), and 30 min at 46 degrees C dry-bulb temperature. Subjects were matched for maximal O2 consumption, anthropometry, and body composition. Testing was repeated after a 9-day active heat acclimation protocol. There were no age differences in rectal (Tre), mean skin (Tsk), or mean body temperature (Tb = 0.8Tre + 0.2Tsk) before or after acclimation, but heart rate was lower (P < 0.01) in the O group in both acclimation states. Heat acclimation resulted in a significantly lower baseline Tre and Tb in both groups, which remained lower throughout the passive heat stress (P < 0.05). To examine the effects of age and acclimation on thermoregulatory effector function, forearm blood flow (by venous occlusion plethysmography) and chest sweating rate (SRch, by dew-point hygrometry) were plotted against Tb. The slope of the forearm blood flow-Tb relationship was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the O group before and after acclimation. A lower maximal SRch (P < 0.05) was achieved by the O group, but neither the slope of SRch-Tb relationship nor the Tb threshold for sweating was affected by age. Predictably, acclimation resulted in a lower Tb threshold for the onset of sweating and skin vasodilation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

1998 ◽  
Vol 274 (4) ◽  
pp. H1174-H1183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen J. Duffy ◽  
Binh T. Tran ◽  
Gishel New ◽  
Ronald N. Tudball ◽  
Murray D. Esler ◽  
...  

Continuous release of nitric oxide contributes to the maintenance of resting tone in the human forearm and coronary circulations; however, evidence for a similar role of vasodilator prostanoids such as prostacyclin is lacking. We examined whether continuous release of prostacyclin contributes to basal forearm blood flow. Flow was measured using venous occlusion plethysmography in 38 healthy volunteers [mean age 21.3 ± 2.5 yr (±SD); 13 female, 25 male] at rest, after administration of three incremental intra-arterial infusions of either the cyclooxygenase inhibitor aspirin or placebo, and before and after administration of the endothelium-dependent and -independent dilators acetylcholine (30 μg/min) and nitroprusside (1 μg/min). To assess the effect of aspirin on the production of prostacyclin, plasma 6-keto prostaglandin F1α(6-keto-PGF1α; the stable metabolite of prostacyclin) was measured by simultaneous arterial and venous sampling. Aspirin produced a time- and dose-dependent reduction in forearm blood flow, resulting in a 32% decrease at the highest dose. The effect was maximal after 10 min. Flow at rest and after aspirin doses of 1, 3, and 10 mg/min was 2.6 ± 0.2, 2.3 ± 0.2, 2.1 ± 0.2, and 1.8 ± 0.2 ml ⋅ 100 ml forearm tissue−1 ⋅ min−1, respectively (means ± SE, P< 0.001). Commensurate with these data, the net forearm production of 6-keto-PGF1α was 52.9 ± 16.4, 11.7 ± 8.6, 18.7 ± 8.5, and 12.0 ± 12.5 pg ⋅ 100 ml forearm tissue−1 ⋅ min−1 for the respective doses ( P = 0.04). No time-dependent reduction in flow was seen in subjects with vehicle infusion. Aspirin did not affect the responses to acetylcholine or nitroprusside. These data suggest that continuous release of prostacyclin plays a role in the maintenance of resting forearm blood flow. There appears to be a direct link between the reduction in flow with aspirin and inhibition of prostacyclin production.


Author(s):  
Megan Waters ◽  
Branko Miljkovic ◽  
Jozelyn Rascon ◽  
Manuel Gomez ◽  
Alvaro N. Gurovich

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study where continuous therapeutic ultrasound (CUS; at 0.4 W/cm2), pulsed therapeutic ultrasound (PUS; at 20% duty cycle, 0.08 W/cm2), both at 1 MHz, and placebo (equipment on, no energy provided) were randomized and applied over the forearm of the non-dominant arm for 5 min in 10 young, healthy individuals. Absolute and peak forearm blood flow (FBF) were measured via Venous Occlusion Plethysmography. FBF was measured before, halfway, and after (immediately and 5 min after) the therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) intervention. Post-ischemic peak FBF was measured 10 min before and 10 min after the TUS intervention. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (group × time) was selected to assess differences in FBF before, during, and after TUS treatment, and for peak FBF before and after TUS treatment. FBF increased 5 min after TUS in CUS compared to placebo (2.96 ± 1.04 vs. 2.09 ± 0.63 mL/min/100 mL of tissue, p < 0.05). PUS resulted in the greatest increase in Peak FBF at 10 min after US (Δ = 3.96 ± 2.02 mL/min/100 mL of tissue, p = 0.06). CUS at 1 MHz was an effective treatment modality for increasing FBF up to 5 min after intervention, but PUS resulted in the greatest increase in peak FBF at 10 min after intervention.


1997 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 1079-1083 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret A. Kolka ◽  
Lou A. Stephenson

Kolka, Margaret A., and Lou A. Stephenson. Effect of luteal phase elevation in core temperature on forearm blood flow during exercise. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(4): 1079–1083, 1997.—Forearm blood flow (FBF) as an index of skin blood flow in the forearm was measured in five healthy women by venous occlusion plethysmography during leg exercise at 80% peak aerobic power and ambient temperature of 35°C (relative humidity 22%; dew-point temperature 10°C). Resting esophageal temperature (Tes) was 0.3 ± 0.1°C higher in the midluteal than in the early follicular phase of the menstrual cycle ( P < 0.05). Resting FBF was not different between menstrual cycle phases. The Tes threshold for onset of skin vasodilation was higher (37.4 ± 0.2°C) in midluteal than in early follicular phase (37.0 ± 0.1°C; P < 0.05). The slope of the FBF to Tes relationship was not different between menstrual cycle phases (14.0 ± 4.2 ml ⋅ 100 ml−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ °C−1for early follicular and 16.3 ± 3.2 ml ⋅ 100 ml−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ °C−1for midluteal phase). Plateau FBF was higher during exercise in midluteal (14.6 ± 2.2 ml ⋅ 100 ml−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ °C−1) compared with early follicular phase (10.9 ± 2.4 ml ⋅ 100 ml−1 ⋅ min−1 ⋅ °C−1; P < 0.05). The attenuation of the increase in FBF to Tes occurred when Tes was 0.6°C higher and at higher FBF in midluteal than in early follicular experiments ( P < 0.05). In summary, the FBF response is different during exercise in the two menstrual cycle phases studied. After the attenuation of the increase in FBF and while Tes was still increasing, the greater FBF in the midluteal phase may have been due to the effects of increased endogenous reproductive endocrines on the cutaneous vasculature.


1996 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 1418-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. N. Proctor ◽  
J. R. Halliwill ◽  
P. H. Shen ◽  
N. E. Vlahakis ◽  
M. J. Joyner

Estimates of calf blood flow with venous occlusion plethysmography vary widely between studies, perhaps due to the use of different plethysmographs. Consequently, we compared calf blood flow estimates at rest and during reactive hyperemia in eight healthy subjects (four men and four women) with two commonly used plethysmographs: the mercury-in-silastic (Whitney) strain gauge and Dohn air-filled cuff. To minimize technical variability, flow estimates were compared with a Whitney gauge and a Dohn cuff on opposite calves before and after 10 min of bilateral femoral arterial occlusion. To account for any differences between limbs, a second trial was conducted in which the plethysmographs were switched. Resting flows did not differ between the plethysmographs (P = 0.096), but a trend toward lower values with the Whitney was apparent. Peak flows averaged 37% lower with the Whitney (27.8 +/- 2.8 ml.dl-1.min-1) than with the Dohn plethysmograph (44.4 +/- 2.8 ml.dl-1.min-1; P < 0.05). Peak flow expressed as a multiple above baseline was also lower with the Whitney (10-fold) than with the Dohn plethysmograph (14.5-fold; P = 0.02). Across all flows at rest and during reactive hyperemia, estimates were highly correlated between the plethysmographs in all subjects (r2 = 0.96-0.99). However, the mean slope for the Whitney-Dohn relationship was only 60 +/- 2%, indicating that over a wide range of flows the Whitney gauge estimate was 40% lower than that for the Dohn cuff. These results demonstrate that the same qualitative results can be obtained with either plethysmograph but that absolute flow values will generally be lower with Whitney gauges.


1994 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 1388-1393 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. De Blasi ◽  
M. Ferrari ◽  
A. Natali ◽  
G. Conti ◽  
A. Mega ◽  
...  

We applied near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) for the simultaneous measurement of forearm blood flow (FBF) and oxygen consumption (VO2) in the human by inducing a 50-mmHg venous occlusion. Eleven healthy subjects were studied both at rest and after hand exercise during vascular occlusion. FBF was also measured by strain-gauge plethysmography. FBF measured by NIRS was 1.9 +/- 0.8 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 at rest and 8.2 +/- 2.9 ml.100 ml-1.min-1 after hand exercise. These values showed a correlation (r = 0.94) with those obtained by the plethysmography. VO2 values were 4.6 +/- 1.3 microM O2 x 100 ml-1.min-1 at rest and 24.9 +/- 11.2 microM O2 x 100 ml-1.min-1 after hand exercise. The scatter of the FBF and VO2 values showed a good correlation between the two variables (r = 0.93). The results demonstrate that NIRS provides the particular advantage of obtaining the contemporary evaluation of blood flow and VO2, allowing correlation of these two variables by a single maneuver without discomfort for the subject.


2010 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. CMED.S4650 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Farahnak ◽  
L. Lind ◽  
K. Mattala ◽  
I-L. Nilsson

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) seems to affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate PTH's acute effect on endothelial vasodilatory function in forearm resistance vessels. Ten healthy subjects underwent forearm venous occlusion plethysmography. We measured forearm blood flow at baseline and at a stable, locally increased PTH level after intra-arterial infusion of metacholine and nitroprusside. The contralateral arm served as a control. Ionized calcium (Ca++) and PTH values were normal in all subjects at baseline (1.26 ± 0.02 mM/L, 3.6 ± 1.2 pM/L). After 30 minutes of PTH infusion, the PTH level increased in the active arm (13.8 ± 4.0 pM/L P < 0.01), while the Ca++ level was unchanged (1.25 ± 0.04; mM/L). Both the PTH and the Ca++ level in the contralateral arm remained unchanged, which indicates no systemic influence. The endothelial-dependent vasodilation was inversely correlated to the Ca++ level at baseline (r = −0.75, P < 0.05) and after PTH infusion (r = −0.68, P < 0.05). The vasodilatory function was not affected during PTH-infusion.


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (2) ◽  
pp. H586-H593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Lee ◽  
J. Kevin Shoemaker ◽  
Patrick M. McQuillan ◽  
Allen R. Kunselman ◽  
Michael B. Smith ◽  
...  

We tested the hypothesis that a reduction in sympathetic tone to exercising forearm muscle would increase blood flow, reduce muscle acidosis, and attenuate reflex responses. Subjects performed a progressive, four-stage rhythmic handgrip protocol before and after forearm bier block with bretylium as forearm blood flow (Doppler) and metabolic (venous effluent metabolite concentration and 31P-NMR indexes) and autonomic reflex responses (heart rate, blood pressure, and sympathetic nerve traffic) were measured. Bretylium inhibits the release of norepinephrine at the neurovascular junction. Bier block increased blood flow as well as oxygen consumption in the exercising forearm ( P < 0.03 and P < 0.02, respectively). However, despite this increase in flow, venous K+ release and H+release were both increased during exercise ( P < 0.002 for both indexes). Additionally, minimal muscle pH measured during the first minute of recovery with NMR was lower after bier block (6.41 ± 0.08 vs. 6.20 ± 0.06; P < 0.036, simple effects). Meanwhile, reflex effects were unaffected by the bretylium bier block. The results support the conclusion that sympathetic stimulation to muscle during exercise not only limits muscle blood flow but also appears to limit anaerobiosis and H+ release, presumably through a preferential recruitment of oxidative fibers.


1997 ◽  
Vol 92 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masanari Shiramoto ◽  
Tsutomu Imaizumi ◽  
Yoshitaka Hirooka ◽  
Toyonari Endo ◽  
Takashi Namba ◽  
...  

1. It has been shown in animals that substance P as well as acetylcholine releases endothelium-derived nitric oxide and evokes vasodilatation and that ATP-induced vasodilatation is partially mediated by nitric oxide. The aim of this study was to examine whether vasodilator effects of substance P and ATP are mediated by nitric oxide in humans. 2. In healthy volunteers (n = 35), we measured forearm blood flow by a strain-gauge plethysmograph while infusing graded doses of acetylcholine, substance P, ATP or sodium nitroprusside into the brachial artery before and after infusion of NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (4 or 8 μmol/min for 5 min). In addition, we measured forearm blood flow while infusing substance P before and during infusion of l-arginine (10 mg/min, simultaneously), or before and 1 h after oral administration of indomethacin (75 mg). 3. Acetylcholine, substance P, ATP or sodium nitroprusside increased forearm blood flow in a dose-dependent manner. NG-Monomethyl-l-arginine decreased basal forearm blood flow and inhibited acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation but did not affect substance P-, ATP-, or sodium nitroprusside-induced vasodilatation. Neither supplementation of l-arginine nor pretreatment with indomethacin affected substance P-induced vasodilatation. 4. Our results suggest that, in the human forearm vessels, substance P-induced vasodilatation may not be mediated by either nitric oxide or prostaglandins and that ATP-induced vasodilatation may also not be mediated by nitric oxide.


1999 ◽  
Vol 277 (1) ◽  
pp. R47-R55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Horowitz ◽  
Pavel Kaspler ◽  
Eckhart Simon ◽  
Ruediger Gerstberger

This investigation attempted to confirm the involvement of central ANG II-ergic signals in thermoregulation. Experiments were conducted on rats undergoing short (STHA)- and long (LTHA)-term heat acclimation, with and without superimposed hypohydration. Vasodilatation (VTsh) and salivation (STsh) temperature thresholds, tail blood flow, and heat endurance were measured in conscious rats during heat stress (40°C) before and after losartan (Los), an ANG II AT1-selective receptor antagonist, administration either to the lateral ventricle or intravenously. Heat acclimation alone resulted in decreased VTsh. STsh decreased during STHA and resumed the preacclimation value, together with markedly increased heat endurance on LTHA. Hypohydration did not affect this biphasic response, although STsh was elevated in all groups. The enhanced heat endurance attained by LTHA was blunted. Neither Los treatment affected the nonacclimated rats. In the heat-acclimated, euhydrated rats, intracerebroventricular Los resulted in decreased VTsh, whereas intravenous Los resulted in elevated STsh. Both intracerebroventricular and intravenous Los led to markedly enhanced heat endurance of the LTHA hypohydrated rats. It is concluded that the LTHA group showed a loss of the benefits acquired by acclimation on hypohydration, whereas the STHA rats, which show an accelerated autonomic excitability in that phase, gained some benefit. It is suggested that ANG II modulates thermoregulation in conditions of chronic adjustments. Central ANG II signals may lead to VTsh upshift, whereas circumventricular structures, activated via circulating ANG II, decrease STsh. On hypohydration these responses seem to be desensitized.


2005 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 1251-1257 ◽  
Author(s):  
William G. Schrage ◽  
Niki M. Dietz ◽  
John H. Eisenach ◽  
Michael J. Joyner

The relative contributions of endothelium-dependent dilators [nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins (PGs), and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF)] in human limbs are poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that relative contributions of NO and PGs differ between endothelial agonists acetylcholine (ACh; 1, 2, and 4 μg·dl−1·min−1) and bradykinin (BK; 6.25, 25, and 50 ng·dl−1·min−1). We measured forearm blood flow (FBF) using venous occlusion plethysmography in 50 healthy volunteers (27 ± 1 yr) in response to brachial artery infusion of ACh or BK in the absence and presence of inhibitors of NO synthase [NOS; with NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA)] and cyclooxygenase (COX; with ketorolac). Furthermore, we tested the idea that the NOS + COX-independent dilation (in the presence of l-NMMA + ketorolac, presumably EDHF) could be inhibited by exogenous NO administration, as reported in animal studies. FBF increased ∼10-fold in the ACh control; l-NMMA reduced baseline FBF and ACh dilation, whereas addition of ketorolac had no further effect. Ketorolac alone did not alter ACh dilation, but addition of l-NMMA reduced ACh dilation significantly. For BK infusion, FBF increased ∼10-fold in the control condition; l-NMMA tended to reduce BK dilation ( P < 0.1), and addition of ketorolac significantly reduced BK dilation. Similar to ACh, ketorolac alone did not alter BK dilation, but addition of l-NMMA reduced BK dilation. To test the idea that NO can inhibit the NOS + COX-independent portion of dilation, we infused a dose of sodium nitroprusside (NO-clamp technique) during ACh or BK that restored the reduction in baseline blood flow due to l-NMMA. Regardless of treatment order, the NO clamp restored baseline FBF but did not reduce the NOS + COX-independent dilation to ACh or BK. We conclude that the contribution of NO and PGs differs between ACh and BK, with ACh being more dependent on NO and BK being mostly dependent on a NOS + COX-independent mechanism (EDHF) in healthy young adults. The NOS + COX-independent dilation does not appear sensitive to feedback inhibition from NO in the human forearm.


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