Submitted on August 25, 2005
Accepted on February 21, 2006
Determinants of coronary flow velocity reserve in healthy young men
Tuomas O Kiviniemi1*, Amir Snapir2, Markku Saraste1, Jyri O Toikka3, Olli T Raitakari1, Markku Ahotupa4, Jaakko J Hartiala1, Mika Scheinin2, and Juha W Koskenvuo1
1 Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
2 Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
3 Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland; Department of Clinical Physiology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
4 MCA Research Laboratory/Department of Physiology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tuoski{at}utu.fi.
The objective of this study was to identify risk markers for attenuated coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) that exist in healthy young men without evident atherosclerotic risk factors. Coronary blood flow velocity was measured with transthoracic Doppler echocardiography at baseline and during adenosine infusion in 37 healthy non-smoking men (mean age 27 ± 4.0 years). Body composition and distribution of fat tissue was assessed with anthropometric measures and regulation of fat metabolism by determination of adiponectin and leptin levels. Physical performance capacity was tested with ergospirometry. The mean body mass index was 23 ± 1.9 kg/m2, waist to hip ratio 0.84 ± 0.04, and coronary blood flow velocity reserve (CFVR) 3.5 ± 0.61. Obesity indices at study outset, leptin, adiponectin, Max loadW/kg and VO2peakml/kg/min in ergospirometry, rate-pressure product and heart rate at rest were significantly associated with CFVR. In multivariate analysis, Max loadW/kg and waist to hip ratio were the only independent predictors of CFVR. We found no relationship between CFVR and serum lipids or body mass index. We conclude that abdominal fat accumulation and low aerobic fitness are independently associated with CFVR in men.
