Association between Statin Use and Balance in Older Adults

ABSTRACT: Background: Several medications have been associated with an increased risk of balance deficits and greater likelihood to sustain a fall, representing a large health and economic issue. Statins are regularly prescribed to prevent strokes and heart attacks, but their impact on balance is unknown. The aim of this paper was to determine whether statin use is associated with poorer balance performances in older adults. Methods: All participants, one group taking statins (n = 34), and the other group not taking statins (n = 31), completed a balance assessment with their eyes closed and their eyes opened on a MatScan Pressure Sensing Mat. Center of Pressure (CoP) velocity, peak-to-peak distance, and standard deviation were collected in both anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for each balance outcome, testing the statin use status as a predictor and controlling for appropriate factors including participants characteristics, lipid profile, and cardiovascular disease. Results: After controlling for confounding factors, statin use significantly predicted both CoP ML-Amplitude (beta = 0.638, p = 0.004) and ML-Velocity (beta = 0.653, p = 0.002) in the eyes-opened condition. Conclusions: The present study detected a negative association between statin use and balance control in the ML direction, suggesting that caution should be taken when prescribing statins in older adults, as this could decrease ML stability and ultimately increase fall and fracture risks

Impact of two different periodized aerobic training on acute cerebrovascular response and cognitive performance in coronary heart disease patients

The aim of this study was to measure the effects of chronic and acute aerobic exercise at two different intensities on cognitive performance and cerebrovascular response in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. Thirty‐five CHD patients completed two exercise bouts at 30% and 70% of their respective peak aerobic power on an ergocycle while performing cognitive tasks, which included nonexecutive and executive conditions before and after a 3‐month training intervention. Variations of oxy‐ deoxy‐ and total hemoglobin concentrations were measured on the left prefrontal cortex at both intensities using near‐infrared spectroscopy. Aerobic exercise training consisted of linear and nonlinear periodization protocols for three sessions of 30–50 min per week for 12 weeks. Error rate (p < 0.001) and reaction time (p < 0.001) improved after the training program for the executive condition of the cognitive task, regardless of intensity and training groups. Cerebral oxygenation remained similar pre and post intervention for all conditions and acute exercise intensity. Despite the absence of conjunction between cerebral oxygenation and cognition, results suggest that both exercise training programs could improve cognition in CHD patients during acute exercise

Changes in cardiopulmonary reserve and peripheral arterial function concomitantly with subclinical inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Background. Changes in cardiopulmonary reserve and biomarkers related to wall stress, inflammation, and oxidative stress concomitantly with the evaluation of peripheral arterial blood flow have not been investigated in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) compared with healthy subjects (CTL). Methods and Results. Eighteen HFpEF patients and 14 CTL were recruited. Plasma levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured at rest. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was measured at rest and peak exercise. Cardiopulmonary reserve was assessed using an exercise protocol with gas exchange analyses. Peripheral arterial blood flow was determined by strain gauge plethysmography. Peak VO2 ( versus  mL/min/kg, ) and oxygen uptake efficiency slope ( versus , ) were significantly decreased in HFpEF patients compared with CTL. BNP at rest and following stress, C-reactive-protein, interleukin-6, and TBARS were significantly elevated in HFpEF. Both basal and posthyperemic arterial blood flow were not significantly different between the HFpEF patients and CTL. Conclusions. HFpEF exhibits a severe reduction in cardiopulmonary reserve and oxygen uptake efficiency concomitantly with an elevation in a broad spectrum of biomarkers confirming an inflammatory and prooxidative status in patients with HFpEF

Effects of variation in exercise training load on cognitive performances and neurotrophic biomarkers in patients with coronary artery disease

We used a novel and supervised iso-energetic training, integrating both moderate- and high-intensity aerobic exercises. Our findings indicate that greater variation in training load did not yield cognitive enhancements, although both protocols exhibited positive effects on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. Moreover, this study establishes a clear positive association between short-term and working memory and neurotrophic biomarkers. In addition, the independent predictive value of change in insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) on improvement in short-term and working memory highlight the close relationship between neurotrophic markers and cognition. Consequently, our results advocate for exercise training interventions targeting neurotrophic biomarkers to enhance cognitive function among individuals with coronary artery disease

Evaluation des réponses et des adaptations cardiorespiratoires et neuromusculaires suite au réentraînement physique chez les patients coronariens (intérêt des tests de terrain, de l'entraînement aérobie et de la musculation)

AMIENS-BU Santé (800212102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Abstract P354: Impact of a Single Mixed Mediterranean-type Meal Compared to a High-Saturated Fat Meal on Postprandial Endothelial Function and Metabolic Markers

Background: Endothelial dysfunction is considered to be a precursor of atherosclerosis and is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. A high-saturated fat meal (HFM) has been shown to induce postprandial endothelial dysfunction. However, no studies have evaluated the acute endothelial effect of a single mixed Mediterranean-type meal (MMM). Our objective was to evaluate postprandial endothelial and metabolic function in response to a MMM in comparison to an isocaloric HFM. Methods: In this ongoing crossover study, 22 of 28 healthy non-smoking males have completed the research protocol. In random order on two separate days during a 1-week interval, subjects were fed two isocaloric meals after a 12-hour overnight fast. The MMM (885 kcal) consisted of fresh salmon, almonds and vegetables baked in olive oil providing 51% of total calories from fat (7.87g SFA and 2.29g of omega-3, 2:1 DHA:EPA). The HFM consisted of a McDonald's sausage, egg and cheese McMuffin and three hashbrowns (858 kcal) providing 58% of total energy from fat (14.78g SFA and no omega-3). Endothelial function was evaluated by measuring brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (%FMD) at baseline and at two (T2) and four (T4) hours postprandial. Results: Mean postprandial %FMD tends to be less impaired following the MMM than the HFM (variation at T4 -0.15±3.6% vs -2.83±3.3% respectively, p&lt;0.1). Postprandial insulin response was less important following the MMM than the HFM (at T2 72.42±94.8% vs 253.89±291.5% respectively, p≤0.1). Postprandial variations of TG and TG/HDL ratio at T4 were also less severe with the MMM than the HFM (p≤0.05). When dividing the subjects on the basis of the median fasting TG levels (0.90 mmol/L), the HFM led to a more severe endothelial impairment in subjects with high (variation in %FMD at T4 -4.36±2.9% p&lt;0.005) vs low fasting TG levels (variation in %FMD at T4 -0.965±2.99%, ns). Conclusion: Our data suggest that a single MMM exerts less of a deleterious effect on postprandial endothelial function and metabolic markers than does a HFM. A single MMM could thus be less atherogenic than a HFM. Moreover, subjects with moderate fasting TG levels (avg. 1.54±0.59 mmol/L, well bellow hypertriglyceridemia threshold) could be at higher risk of endothelial injury following a single HFM. Data on all 28 subjects will be available in March 2012. </jats:p