High‐Intensity Interval Training and Moderate‐Intensity Continuous Training on Ventricular‐Arterial Coupling (VAC) in Young Women With Obesity

TL;DR

This study found that both high-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training improve heart-artery coordination in young women with obesity.

Contribution

The study compares the effects of HIIT and MICT on two specific measures of ventricular-arterial coupling in young women with obesity.

Findings

Both HIIT and MICT significantly improved the PWV/GLS ratio in young obese women.

Only HIIT significantly reduced the Ea/Ees ratio, indicating more comprehensive improvements in VAC.

PWV/GLS showed a strong correlation with changes in the Ea/Ees ratio following HIIT.

Abstract

To investigate the effects of an 8‐weeks of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) or moderate‐intensity continuous training (MICT) program on ventricular‐arterial coupling (VAC) in young women with obesity.

Twenty‐four obese women completed an 8‐week supervised aerobic training program (3 sessions/week) assigned to either HIIT (n = 11) or MICT (n = 13). The HIIT protocol involved four 4‐min bouts at 85%–95% of the maximum heart rate (HRmax), while the MICT consisted of continuous walking/running for 41 min at 65%–75% of HRmax. VAC was assessed using two methods: (1) the ratio of pulse wave velocity to global longitudinal strain (PWV/GLS), and (2) the ratio of arterial to ventricular elastance (Ea/Ees).

Both HIIT (−0.35 ± 0.01 to −0.31 ± 0.05 m/s%; p = 0.005) and MICT (−0.35 ± 0.01 to −0.30 ± 0.05 m/s%; p = 0.003) significantly improved the PWV/GLS ratio. However, only HIIT led to a significant reduction in the Ea/Ees ratio (0.88 ± 0.07 to 0.80 ± 0.09 mmHg/mL; p = 0.024), with a significant correlation between relative changes in PWV/GLS and Ea/Ees ratio (r = 0.749; p = 0.008).

Both HIIT and MICT improved VAC as assessed by PWV/GLS ratio in young obese women. In contrast, elastance‐derived improvements (Ea/Ees) were observed only following HIIT. These findings suggest that PWV/GLS may serve as a more sensitive and integrative marker for detecting exercise‐induced improvements in VAC.

Aerobic training, HIIT and MICT, proved effective in improving VAC in young women with obesity as measured by the PWV/GLS ratio.

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