Pulse wave velocity is lower in trained than in untrained sickle cell trait carriers

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Ouédraogo, Valentin^a | Connes, Philippe^{b; *} | Tripette, Julien^c | Tiendrébéogo, Arnaud Jean Florent^a | Sow, Abdou Khadir^a | Diaw, Mor^a | Seck, Moussa^d | Diop, Mountaga^e | Hallab, Magid^f | Belue, Rhonda^g | Samb, Abdoulaye^{a; h} | Ba, Abdoulaye^{a; h} | Lefthériotis, Georgesⁱ

Affiliations: [a] Laboratoire de Physiologie Humaine, Faculté de Médecine, de Pharmacie et d’Odontologie, UCAD, Sénégal | [b] Laboratoire LIBM EA7424, Equipe “Biologie vasculaire et du globule rouge”, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France; Laboratoire d’Excellence sur le Globule Rouge (GR-Ex), Paris, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France | [c] Ochanomizu University, 2-1-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo District, Tokyo, Japan | [d] Laboratoire d’Hémato-Immunologie, FMPO, UCAD, Dakar, Sénégal | [e] Institut National Supérieur de l’Education Populaire et du Sport, UCAD, Dakar, Sénégal | [f] Hôpital Universitaire de Nantes, Place Ricordeau, Nantes, France | [g] The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA | [h] Unité Mixte Internationale (UMI 3189), “Environnement, Santé, Sociétés” CNRS, UCAD, CNRST, USTTB, UGB, Dakar, Sénégal | [i] Laboratoire de Biologie Neuro-vasculaire et Mitochondriale Intégrée UMR CNRS 6214 – Inserm, Faculté de Médecine Angers, Angers, France

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Philippe Connes, Laboratoire LIBM EA7424, Equipe “Biologie vasculaire et du globule rouge”, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France. E-mail: philippe.connes@univ-lyon1.fr; pconnes@yahoo.fr.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Sickle cell trait (SCT) is a benign condition of sickle cell disease. Nevertheless, previous reports showed that SCT carriers have increased blood viscosity and decreased vascular reactivity compared to non-SCT carrier. The benefit of regular exercise on vascular function has been well documented in the general population but no study focused on the SCT population. PURPOSE:The aim of our study was to compare arterial stiffness and blood viscosity between trained and untrained SCT carriers, as well as a group of untrained non-SCT. METHODS:Arterial stiffness (finger-toe pulse wave velocity) and blood viscosity were evaluated in untrained non-SCT carriers (n = 10), untrained SCT carriers (n = 23) and trained SCT carriers (n = 17) who reported at least 10 hours of physical exercise per week. RESULTS:Untrained SCT carriers had higher pulse wave velocity (p = 0.032) and blood viscosity (p < 0.001) than their trained counterparts. In addition, untrained SCT carriers had higher blood viscosity (p < 0.001) than the untrained non-SCT group. A positive association was noted between blood viscosity and pulse wave velocity in the whole study population. CONCLUSION:Our study suggests that regular exercise may be beneficial for the vascular function of SCT carriers.

Keywords: Sickle cell trait, exercise training, pulse wave velocity, blood viscosity

DOI: 10.3233/CH-170310

Journal: Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 417-424, 2018