Increased skeletal muscle phosphocreatine recovery after sub-maximal exercise is associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness

Abstract

Background: The association between skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and CVD risk in healthy subjects is unknown.

Methods: Forty subjects were evaluated for CVD risk with lipid profile, oral glucose tolerance test and measurement of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). Skeletal muscle mitochondrial function was determined by phosphocreatine recovery after sub-maximal exercise with (31)Phosphorous-MRS and represented as τPCr.

Results: τPCr was positively associated with age (r=+0.41; P=0.009) and cIMT (r=+0.50; P=0.001) on univariate analyses. In multivariate regression analysis controlling for age, the association between τPCr and cIMT remained significant (β=0.003; P=0.03). This association remained significant after controlling for traditional risk factors for CVD including age, gender, tobacco use, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and fasting glucose in a combined model (β=0.003; P=0.04; R(2)=0.53; P=0.008 for overall model).

Conclusions: These data suggest a novel association between skeletal muscle τPCr and increased cIMT, independent of age or traditional CVD risk factors.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00562796.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1A. τPCr is positively associated with carotid IMT. R=+0.50; P=0.001. Normal weight subjects are depicted by open circles while obese subjects are depicted by closed circles. Figure 1B. Carotid IMT is associated with τPCr independent of age. Carotid IMT is depicted in the y-axis in our cohort stratified by age on the x-axis and τPCr on the z-axis. P=0.002 by ANOVA.