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01-05-2008 | ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION

Age-dependent endothelial dysfunction is associated with failure to increase plasma nitrite in response to exercise

Authors: Thomas Lauer, MD, Christian Heiss, MD, Jan Balzer, MD, Eva Kehmeier, MD, Sarah Mangold, MD, Thorsten Leyendecker, MD, Jessica Rottler, MD, Christian Meyer, MD, Marc W. Merx, MD, Malte Kelm, MD, FESC, Tienush Rassaf, MD

Published in: Basic Research in Cardiology | Issue 3/2008

Abstract

Age-dependent alterations of the vessel wall may predispose older individuals to increased cardiovascular pathology. Aging is associated with an impaired bioactivity of nitric oxide (NO). Plasma nitrite reflects NO-synthase activity under fasting conditions and is an important storage pool of NO. To test the hypothesis that aging is associated with an impaired capacity of the vasculature to increase plasma nitrite during exercise, 29 young and 28 old healthy individuals (25 ± 1 years and 58 ± 2 years; P < 0.001) without major cardiovascular risk factors were enrolled. Exercise stress was similar in both groups. Baseline nitrite did not differ (107 ± 8 vs. 82 ± 10 nmol/l, young vs. old; n.s.) although a trend toward higher nitrite levels in young individuals was seen. In young subjects, exercise increased plasma nitrite by 38 ± 7% (P < 0.001) compared to only 13 ± 8% (P = n.s.) in older subjects. L-NMMA blocked increases of nitrite. Endothelial function, as defined by flow–mediated-dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery via ultrasound, was impaired in older subjects (5.4 ± 0.4% vs. 6.7 ± 0.3%; P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that age (P = 0.007), BMI (P = 0.010), and LDL (P = 0.021) were independent predictors of nitrite increase. The fact that aging is associated with an impaired capacity of the vasculature to adequately increase nitrite to physiological stimuli may contribute to attenuated maintenance and further deterioration of vascular homeostasis with aging.

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Title: Age-dependent endothelial dysfunction is associated with failure to increase plasma nitrite in response to exercise
Authors: Thomas Lauer, MD
Christian Heiss, MD
Jan Balzer, MD
Eva Kehmeier, MD
Sarah Mangold, MD
Thorsten Leyendecker, MD
Jessica Rottler, MD
Christian Meyer, MD
Marc W. Merx, MD
Malte Kelm, MD, FESC
Tienush Rassaf, MD
Publication date: 01-05-2008
Publisher: D. Steinkopff-Verlag
Published in: Basic Research in Cardiology / Issue 3/2008
Print ISSN: 0300-8428
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1803
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00395-008-0714-3

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