Sleep quality, physical activity, and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults

초록

Arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although the effects of sleep quality and physical activity on arterial stiffness have been identified, their interactive effect has not been studied. This study aimed to determine the combined association of sleep quality and physical activity with arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Tsukuba. Nine-eight sedentary middle-aged and older adults (50-74 years) were classified into four groups based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score (<5.5 points) and daily step count (<7,500 steps/day): active and good sleepers, active and poor sleepers, inactive and good sleepers, and inactive and poor sleepers. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), and femoral-ankle PWV (faPWV) were measured as indices of central, systemic, and peripheral arterial stiffness, respectively. There were no significant differences in age, body mass index, blood pressure, heart rate, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose among the four groups. The cfPWV was significantly higher in inactive and poor sleepers than in other groups, but no differences were noted in baPWV and faPWV. These results suggest that decreased sleep quality and physical activity are associated with an increase in central arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults.