Date of Award

8-2024

Degree Type

Masters Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Committee Chair

Dr. Jon Stavres

Committee Chair School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Committee Member 2

Dr. Austin Graybeal

Committee Member 2 School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Committee Member 3

Dr. Stephanie Smith

Committee Member 3 School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Committee Member 4

Dr. Riley Galloway

Committee Member 4 School

Kinesiology and Nutrition

Abstract

Objective: To determine if young adults with elevated metabolic syndrome severity scores (MetSindex) suffer from peripheral vasculature dysfunction.

Methods: Mean arterial pressure (MAP), Femoral (FBF) and Brachial Blood flow (BBF), Femoral (FVC) and Brachial Vascular Conductance (BVC), and Tissue Saturation Index (TSI) were assessed in twenty-four age (19 + 2.25 years), Sex (male: n=18; female: n=6) and Race (White: n=4; Black/African American: n=4; Asian: n=16) matched individuals during post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (RHBF), passive limb movement (PLM) and Functional Sympatholysis (FS) trials. Carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was also collected at baseline, and all values were compared between the Control (Con; negative MetSindex score) and Elevated Risk (ER; positive MetSindex score) groups using a combination of independent samples t-tests and repeated measures analyses of variance (RMANOVA).

Results: As expected, blood flow and vascular conductance significantly increased during all RHBF and PLM trials across both groups (all p0.591), PLM responses (all p>0.313), brachial RHBF responses (all p>0.132), or FS responses (all p>0.446). Likewise, no group differences were observed for PWV (Con: mean= 5.14 + 1.69m/s; ER: mean= 5.18 + 1.84m/s; p=0.953).

Conclusions: The current findings suggest that peripheral vascular function appears to be unaffected in young adults presenting with elevated MetSindex score. Our findings also suggest that MetSindex may provide use as an “early warning” system for young adults at risk of MetS-associated vascular dysfunction and highlights the need for further cardiovascular assessments in these individuals.

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