HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 285/4/H1747    most recent 00202.2003v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (14) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hautala, A. J. Articles by Tulppo, M. P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hautala, A. J. Articles by Tulppo, M. P.

Cardiovascular autonomic function correlates with the response to aerobic training in healthy sedentary subjects

¹Merikoski Rehabilitation and Research Center, Oulu; ²Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu; and ³Polar Electro, Kempele, Finland

Submitted 14 March 2003 ; accepted in final form 12 June 2003

Individual responses to aerobic training vary from almost none to a 40% increase in aerobic fitness in sedentary subjects. The reasons for these differences in the training response are not well known. We hypothesized that baseline cardiovascular autonomic function may influence the training response. The study population included sedentary male subjects (n = 39, 35 ± 9 yr). The training period was 8 wk, including 6 sessions/wk at an intensity of 70–80% of the maximum heart rate for 30–60 min/session. Cardiovascular autonomic function was assessed by measuring the power spectral indexes of heart rate variability from 24-h R-R interval recordings before the training period. Mean peak O₂ uptake increased by 11 ± 5% during the training period (range 2–19%). The training response correlated with age (r = –0.39, P = 0.007) and with the values of the high-frequency (HF) spectral component of R-R intervals (HF power) analyzed over the 24-h recording (r = 0.46, P = 0.002) or separately during the daytime hours (r = 0.35, P = 0.028) and most strongly during the nighttime hours (r = 0.52, P = 0.001). After adjustment for age, HF power was still associated with the training response (e.g., P = 0.001 analyzed during nighttime hours). These data show that cardiovascular autonomic function is an important determinant of the response to aerobic training among sedentary men. High vagal activity at baseline is associated with the improvement in aerobic power caused by aerobic exercise training in healthy sedentary subjects.

cardiovascular autonomic function; vagal activity; aerobic training response

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Teran-Garcia, T. Rankinen, and C. Bouchard Genes, exercise, growth, and the sedentary, obese child J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2008; 105(3): 988 - 1001. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Hautala, A. S. Leon, J. S. Skinner, D. C. Rao, C. Bouchard, and T. Rankinen Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-{delta} polymorphisms are associated with physical performance and plasma lipids: the HERITAGE Family Study Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, May 1, 2007; 292(5): H2498 - H2505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Buchheit and C. Gindre Cardiac parasympathetic regulation: respective associations with cardiorespiratory fitness and training load Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, July 1, 2006; 291(1): H451 - H458. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Lehrer, E. Vaschillo, S.-E. Lu, D. Eckberg, B. Vaschillo, A. Scardella, and R. Habib Heart rate variability biofeedback: effects of age on heart rate variability, baroreflex gain, and asthma. Chest, February 1, 2006; 129(2): 278 - 284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]