Single and 7-day handgrip and squat exercise prevents endothelial ischaemia-reperfusion injury in individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors

Somani, Yasina B, Boidin, Maxime ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1522-1223, Peggen, Mandy AG, Wanders, Iris, Proctor, David N, Low, David A, Jones, Helen, Lip, Gregory YH and Thijssen, Dick HJ (2024) Single and 7-day handgrip and squat exercise prevents endothelial ischaemia-reperfusion injury in individuals with cardiovascular disease risk factors. American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, 326 (1). R79-R87. ISSN 0363-6119

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Abstract

Background: Whole-body exercise provides protection against endothelial ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. In this crossover study, we examined the effects of 1) single bout of local exercise (handgrip, squats) on endothelial responses to IR , and 2) if 7 days of daily exercise bolsters these effects in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Methods: Fifteen participants (9 women, 58±5 years, ≥2 CVD risk factors) attended the laboratory for 6 visits. On the control visit, brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured before and after IR. One week later, participants were randomized to 4x5-min unilateral handgrip (50% maximal voluntary contraction, 25 rpm) or squat exercises (15 rpm), followed by IR plus FMD measurements. Subsequently, home-based exercise was performed (six days), followed by a laboratory visit for the IR protocol plus FMD measurements (18-24 h after). There was a two-week washout period between exercise mode. Results: For a single exercise bout, we found a significant IR injury*exercise mode interaction (P<0.01), but no main effect of injury (P=0.08) or condition (P=0.61). A lower post-IR FMD was evident after control (pre-IR: 4.3±2.1% to post-IR: 2.9±1.9%, P<0.01), but not after handgrip (pre-IR: 3.8±1.6% to post-IR: 3.4±1.5%, P=0.31) or squats (pre-IR: 3.9±1.8% to post-IR: 4.0±1.9%, P=0.74). After 7 days of daily exercise, we found no change in FMD post-IR following handgrip or squats (P>0.05). Conclusions: Single bouts of local exercise provides remote protection against IR-induced injury in individuals with CVD risk factors, with one-week daily, home-based exercise preserving these effects for up to 24h following the last bout.