Mixed circuit training acutely reduces arterial stiffness in patients with chronic stroke: a crossover randomized controlled trial

Purpose: Investigate whether a single bout of mixed circuit training (MCT) can elicit changes in arterial stiffness in patients with chronic stroke. Secondly, to assess the between-day reproducibility of post-MCT arterial stiffness measurements. Methods: Seven participants (58 ± 12 yr) performed a non-exercise control session (CTL) and two bouts of MCT on separate days in a randomized counterbalanced order. The MCT involved 3 sets of 15-repetition maximum for 10 exercises, with each set separated by 45-s of walking. Brachial-radial pulse wave velocity (br-PWV), radial artery compliance (AC) and reflection index (RI1,2) were assessed 10 min before and 60 min after CTL and MCT. Ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) was calculated from 24-h recovery ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Results: Compared to CTL, after 60 min of recovery from the 1st and 2nd bouts of MCT, lower values were observed for br-PWV (mean diff = -3.9 and -3.7 m/s, respectively, P < 0.01; ICC2,1 = 0.75) and RI1,2 (mean diff = -16.1 and -16.0 %, respectively, P < 0.05; ICC2,1 = 0.83) concomitant with higher AC (mean diff = 1.2 and 1.0 × 10-6 cm5/dyna, respectively, P < 0.01; ICC2,1 = 0.40). The 24-h AASI was reduced after bouts of MCT vs. CTL (1st and 2nd bouts of MCT vs. CTL: mean diff = -0.32 and -0.29 units, respectively, P < 0.001; ICC2,1 = 0.64). Conclusions: A single bout of MCT reduces arterial stiffness during laboratory (60 min) and ambulatory (24 h) recovery phases in patients with chronic stroke with moderate-to-high reproducibility.