Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and arterial stiffness in men with the metabolic syndrome

AimsWe tested the hypothesis that high cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) is associated with lower levels of arterial stiffness in 1035 (age 52 ± 6 years) men with and without the metabolic syndrome.MethodsArterial stiffness was derived from brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Fitness was directly measured by peak oxygen uptake during a standard treadmill test.ResultsMen with the metabolic syndrome (n = 168) had significantly higher baPWV than men without the metabolic syndrome (1424 ± 175 cm/s vs. 1333 ± 150 cm/s, p < 0.05). When separated according to quartiles of fitness, men with and without the metabolic syndrome in the highest quartile of fitness had significantly lower baPWV compared to men in the lowest quartile of fitness (p < 0.05). Fitness was inversely correlated with baPWV in men with (p = −0.29, p < 0.05) and without the metabolic syndrome (p = −0.22, p < 0.05). There was no differences in baPWV levels between fit men with the metabolic syndrome and unfit men without the metabolic syndrome (fit/MetS; 1366 ± 140 vs. unfit/no MetS; 1401 ± 194 cm/s, p = 0.81).ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that high fitness is inversely associated with arterial stiffness in men with and without the metabolic syndrome. Increased arterial stiffness in the metabolic syndrome is attenuated by high fitness.