Effects Of At-Risk Drinking On Aortic Hemodynamics Following Maximal Graded Exercise Tests In Young Adults

At-risk drinking pattern in young adults is associated with arterial stiffening which may alter aortic hemodynamics and thus blood pressure responses during exercise; however, the findings in young adults are still not thoroughly understood. PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the effects of at-risk drinking on aortic hemodynamics following maximal graded exercise tests in young adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 20 healthy young adults (21-35 years), free of smoking history. The US Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (USAUDIT) was used to classify drinking patterns: low-risk drinkers and at-risk drinkers (USAUDIT >7 for males and 6 for females). Pulse wave analysis and wave separation analysis of aortic pulse derived from brahical pulse were conducted to measure aortic blood pressure (BP) and assess aortic hemodynamics as forward wave pressure (Pf), backward pressure wave (Pb), and reflection magnitude (RM) at rest and immediately after a maximal graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer. RESULTS: There were no differences in age and body mass index (BMI) between at-risk drinkers (n = 10) and low-risk drinkers (n = 10; mean ± SD for age: 26.7 ± 3.7 vs. 26.6 ± 4.3 years, P > 0.99 and BMI: 24.5 ± 2.4 vs. 23.8 ± 2.9 kg/m2, P = 0.6). At-risk drinkers had a higher total USAUDIT score compared to low-risk drinkers (10.6 ± 2.7 vs. 1.4 ± 1.2, P < 0.001). Regardless of drinking patterns (P ≥ 0.08 for group by time interaction), aortic systolic BP (aoSBP), Pf, and Pb increased while RM decreased following exercise tests (pre- vs. post-ex for aoSBP: 101 ± 6 vs. 114 ± 9, P < 0.001; Pf: 27 ± 4 vs. 36 ± 7, P < 0.001; Pb: 13 ± 2 vs. 15 ± 2, P = 0.003; and RM: 47.4 ± 6.3% vs. 42.2 ± 6.5%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings indicate that young adult at-risk drinkers had similar aortic hemodynamics in response to maximal graded exercise tests compared to low-risk drinkers.