Arterial blood pressure regulation during prolonged isometric exercise in artistic gymnastic athletes compared to controls

BACKGROUND: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the baroreflex sensitivity alterations in regulating arterial blood pressure during prolonged isometric exercise at different intensities in elite artistic gymnastic athletes compared to non-athletes. METHODS: Fourteen young males participated in the study; 7 international level artistic gymnastics athletes and 7 physically active students inexperienced to isometric or resistance training. On two occasions, both groups performed 3 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise either at 30% or 50% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), in a randomized order. Force production, arterial blood pressure and baroreflex sensitivity through finger plethysmograph were continuously recorded. RESULTS: At rest, arterial blood pressure was normal in both groups (systolic blood pressure [SBP], athletes [A]: 128 +/- 9.0 mmHg, non-athletes [NA]: 130 +/- 7.2 mmHg, P=0.62; DIA, A: 75.6 +/- 5.2, NA: 78.5 +/- 4.6, P=0.31) but baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was higher in athletes than in non-athletes (A: 16.6 +/- 7.4, NA: 12.0 +/- 7.9, P=0.02). During prolonged isometric exercise at 30% MVC, blood pressure was similar between groups (SBP, A: 176.9 +/- 16 mmHg vs. NA: 189.5 +/- 15.1 mmHg P=0.9, diastolic blood pressure [DBP], A: 108 +/- 11 mmHg vs. NA: 118 +/- 11 mmHg, P=0.6) and BRS was still higher in athletes (A: 13.28 +/- 5.75 ms/mmHg vs. NA: 6.72 +/- 3.83, P=0.04), whereas at 50% MVC, blood pressure was lower in the athletes compared to the control group (SBP, A: 182.5 +/- 15 mmHg vs. NA: 222.1 +/- 19.3 mmHg, P=0.001; DBP A: 115 +/- 14 mmHg vs. NA: 141 +/- 20 mmHg, P=0.02,without statistically significant difference in BRS between groups (A: 7.39 +/- 5.34 ms/mmHg vs. NA: 3.9 +/- 1.73 ms/mmHg, P=0.44). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our cross-sectional study revealed that after years of exposure in high amounts of training loads, baroreflex sensitivity is increased in healthy athletes probably in order to prevent excessive increases in blood pressure during exercise.