The Clinical and Nonclinical Values of Nonexercise Estimation of Cardiovascular Endurance in Young Asymptomatic Individuals

Exercise testing is associated with barriers prevent using cardiovascular (CV) endurance (CVE) measure frequently. A recent nonexercise model (NM) is alleged to estimate CVE without exercise. This study examined CVE relationships, using the NM model, with measures of obesity, physical fitness (PF), blood glucose and lipid, and circulation in 188 asymptomatic young (18–40 years) adults. Estimated CVE correlated favorably with measures of PF (r = 0.4 − 0.5) including handgrip strength, distance in 6 munities walking test, and shoulder press, and leg extension strengths, obesity (r = 0.2 − 0.7) including % body fat, body water content, fat mass, muscle mass, BMI, waist and hip circumferences and waist/hip ratio, and circulation (r = 0.2 − 0.3) including blood pressures, blood flow, vascular resistance, and blood (r = 0.2 − 0.5) profile including glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides. Additionally, differences (P < 0.05) in examined measures were found between the high, average, and low estimated CVE groups. Obviously the majority of these measures are CV disease risk factors and metabolic syndrome components. These results enhance the NM scientific value, and thus, can be further used in clinical and nonclinical settings

Vascular Function and Handgrip Strength in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Objective. To examine the relationship of handgrip strength with forearm blood flow (BF) and vascular resistance (VR) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Methods. Forearm BF at rest (RBF) and after upper arm occlusion (RHBF), and handgrip strength were examined in 78 individuals (RA = 42 and controls (CT) = 36). Subsequently, VR at rest (RVR) and after occlusion (RHVR) were calculated. Results. The patients' RBF (P = 0.02) and RHBF (P = 0.0001) were less, whereas RVR (P = 0.002) and RHVR (P = 0.0001) were greater as compared to the CTs. Similarly, handgrip strength was lower in the RAs (P = 0.0001). Finally, handgrip strength was directly associated with RBF (r = 0.43; P = 0.0001), and RHBF (r = 0.5; P = 0.0001), and inversely related to RVR (r = −0.3; P = 0.009) and RHVR (r = −0.3; P = 0.007). Conclusion. The present study uniquely identifies an association between regional measures of forearm blood flow and handgrip strength in patients and healthy control. In addition, this study confirms the presence of vascular and muscle dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as evidenced by lower forearm blood flow indices, at rest and following occlusion, and lower handgrip strength as compared to healthy individuals