Arterial Stiffness is Related to Impaired Exercise Capacity in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease and History of Myocardial Infarction

Background Augmented arterial stiffness and reduced cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with increased morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease (CAD). The relationship between exercise capacity and arterial stiffness is independent of known influencing variables in CAD. This study aimed to analyse the interaction between exercise capacity, arterial stiffness and early vascular ageing in patients with CAD. Methods This cross-sectional study included 96 CAD patients with myocardial infarction (55.9 ± 10.9 years, 81 men) referred to cardiac rehabilitation. Arterial stiffness was assessed using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). Cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed to measure VO2peak. Comparisons of VO2peak across cf-PWV risk threshold values (high-risk cf-PWV ≥ 10 m/s) and tertile groups, and across cf-PWV threshold values and age groups (younger group Results Patients with high-risk cf-PWV had lower VO2peak than those with low-risk cf-PWV (p Conclusions Arterial stiffening is associated with lower cardiorespiratory fitness in CAD patients with myocardial infarction. When its values are above risk threshold, exercise capacity is impaired regardless of the relationship between age and arterial stiffness.