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Human Integrative Physiology Laboratory, Departments of 2 Health and Exercise Science, 1 Physiology, and 3 Food Science and Human Nutrition Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523
We
tested the hypothesis that women would demonstrate lower cardiovagal
baroreflex gain compared with men. If so, we further hypothesized that
the lower cardiovagal baroreflex gain in women would be associated with
their lower aerobic fitness and higher body fat percentage compared
with men. To accomplish this, we measured cardiovagal baroreflex gain
(modified Oxford technique) in sedentary, nonobese (body mass
index < 25 kg/m2) men (age = 26.0 ± 2.1 yr, n = 11) and women (age = 26.9 ± 1.6 yr,
n = 14). Resting R-R interval and diastolic blood
pressure were similar in the two groups, but systolic blood pressure
was lower (P < 0.05) in the women. Cardiovagal
baroreflex gain was significantly lower in the women compared with the
men (13.3 ± 1.5 vs. 20.0 ± 2.8 ms/mmHg, P < 0.05). The lower cardiovagal baroreflex gain in the women was not
related (P > 0.05) to their lower aerobic fitness and
was only marginally related to their higher body fat percentage
(r =
0.34, P < 0.05). There were no
gender differences in the threshold and saturation, operating range, or
operating point (all P > 0.05), although the operating
point fell significantly to left (i.e., at a lower systolic blood
pressure) compared with men. Therefore, the findings of this study
suggest that the gain of the cardiovagal baroreflex is reduced whereas
other parameters were similar in women compared with men. The
mechanisms responsible for the reduced cardiovagal baroreflex gain
remain unclear.
vagal; baroreflex sensitivity; sex
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