The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between systolic blood pressure during maximal treadmill test
(SBPmtt) and flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). Abnormal rise of SBPmtt is the phenomenon more frequent in hypertensive
persons but it could be found in normotensive subjects too. 199 subjects referred to treadmill test were enrolled in the
study. Four groups were formed: hypertensives with abnormal SBPmtt (group A), hypertensives with normal SBPmtt
(group B), normotensives with abnormal SBPmtt (group C) and normotensives with normal SBPmtt (group D). Rise of
SBPmtt above 200 mmHg was considered abnormal reaction. Simple linear regression analysis showed significant inverse
relationship between SBPmtt and FMD (F=20.2036, p<0.001, R2=0.0956). Mean FMD index was worst in hypertensive
subjects with abnormal SBPmtt (group A), followed by normotensives with abnormal SBPmtt (group C), hypertensives
with normal SBPmtt (group B) and the best was in normotensives with normal SBPmtt (3.56±5.17, 4.19±5.14,
6.81±8.43 and 10.92±7.48%, respectively). In multivariate regression analysis FMD showed significant association
with abnormal SBPmtt (p<0.001) along with brachial artery diameter (p<0.001), male gender (p<0.001), but not with
hypertension (p=0.073), BMI (p=0.137) and total cholesterol (p=0.23) (coefficients: –0.26, –0.40, –0.27, –0.13, –0.11 and
–0.07, respectively). There was a significant inverse relationship between SBPmtt and FMD. An impairment of FMD exists
in normotensive subjects with abnormal SBPmtt. In hypertensives with abnormal SBPmtt an additional impairment
of FMD exists when compared to hypertensives with normal SBPmtt. Abnormal SBPmtt should be taken into account in
global cardiovascular risk assessment
