Table 4.
Association between skeletal muscle and macrovascular blood flow.
| Study & Year | Sample | Age | Muscle and Vascular Association | Type of Association | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barrera 2014 [35] | Healthy adults | 29–88 | Muscular strength/function and CIMT | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | In older adults, CIMT is negatively associated with muscular strength and function |
| Chung 2018 [36] | Healthy adult men | 40–79 | Muscular strength and PWV | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | In middle-aged and older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscular strength and function |
| den Ouden 2013 [37] | Healthy older men | 73–91 | Muscular strength and CIMT | Correlation (r = −0.17; p < 0.05) | In older men, CIMT is negatively associated with muscular strength |
| Dipla 2017 # [55] | Healthy and hypertensive adults | 31–55 | Muscular strength and muscle perfusion | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | Hypertensive adults have reduced tissue oxygen saturation compared to healthy controls; to produce same amount of torque compared to healthy controls requires a two-fold increase in BP |
| Fahs 2017 [39] | Healthy adults | 18–75 | Muscular strength and PWV | Correlation (r = −0.230/−0.484; p < 0.05) | In adults, arterial stiffness is negatively correlated with absolute and relative muscular strength |
| Gonzales 2015 [40] | Healthy older adults | 60–78 | Muscular function and PWV | Beta coefficient (p < 0.05) | In older adults, arterial stiffness is positively correlated with muscle fatigue |
| Heffernan 2012 [41] | Healthy older adults | 70–85 | Muscular power and augmentation index | Correlation (r = -0.54; p < 0.05) | In older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscular power |
| Im 2017 [42] | Healthy adult men | 40–64 | Muscle mass and PWV | Correlation (p < 0.05) | In middle-aged men, arterial stiffness is negatively correlated with muscle mass |
| Khoudary 2015 [38] | Healthy older women | 56–62 | Muscle function and CIMT | Beta coefficient (0.028; p < 0.05) | In older women, CIMT is negatively associated with muscle function |
| Kohara 2017 [43] | Healthy older adults | 60–74 | Muscle mass and PWV | Correlation (r = −0.24; p < 0.05) | In older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively correlated with muscle mass |
| Lee 2014 [44] | Healthy older adults | 52–95 | Muscle mass and augmentation index | Beta coefficient (p < 0.05) | In older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscle mass |
| Lima-Junior 2018 # [57] | Hypertensive older adults | 48–68 | Muscular strength and augmentation index | Beta coefficient (−0.49; p < 0.05) | In older adults with hypertension, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscular strength |
| Ochi 2010 [46] | Healthy adults | n/r | Muscle CSA and PWV | Correlation (r = −0.34; p < 0.05) | In men, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscle mass |
| Phillips 2012 * [34] | Healthy adults—resistance exercise | 21–72 | Muscle mass/strength and leg blood flow | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | Following resistance exercise training, adults experience increases in leg blood flow, muscle mass and strength regardless of age in response to feeding |
| Sampaio 2014 # [58] | Healthy and hypertensive older adults | 70–77 | Muscle mass and PWV | Odds ratio (1.82; p < 0.05) | In healthy and hypertensive older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscle mass |
| Sanada 2010 [48] | Healthy adults | 41–71 | Muscle mass and PWV | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | Women with sarcopenia have higher arterial stiffness compared to healthy controls |
| Shimizu 2017 # [59] | Hypertensive older adults | 60–89 | Muscular strength and CIMT | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | In older adults with hypertension, CIMT is negatively associated with muscular strength |
| Shiotsu 2018 * [49] | Healthy older men—resistance exercise | 63–85 | Muscular strength/function and PWV | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | Following resistance exercise training, older men experience a decrease in arterial stiffness and an increase in muscular strength/function |
| Suwa 2018 [50] | Healthy adult men | 35–59 | Muscular function and CIMT | Beta coefficient (−0.189; p < 0.05) | In middle-aged adults, CIMT is negatively associated with arm flexibility |
| Wong 2018 *# [60] | Hypertensive older women—stair climbing exercise | 49–67 | Muscular strength and PWV | Correlation (r = −0.47; p < 0.05) | Following stair climbing training, hypertensive older women experience a decrease in arterial stiffness and an increase in muscular strength |
| Yamamoto 2009 [51] | Healthy adults | 40–83 | Muscular function and PWV | Correlation (r = 0.17/0.45; p < 0.05) | In middle-aged and older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively correlated with flexibility |
| Yoo 2018 [53] | Older women | 67–79 | Muscular strength and endothelial function | Correlation (r = 0.176; p < 0.05) | After adjusting for comorbidities, in older women, endothelial function is positively correlated with muscular strength |
| Yoshizawa 2009 * [52] | Healthy women—aerobic exercise | 32–59 | Muscular function and PWV | Difference between groups (p < 0.05) † | Following aerobic training, middle-aged women experience a decrease in arterial stiffness and an increase in muscular function |
| Zhang 2019 [54] | Older adults | 65–81 | Muscle mass and PWV | Odds ratio (1.11; p < 0.05) | After adjusting for comorbidities, in older adults, arterial stiffness is negatively associated with muscle mass |
* Exercise intervention study; # hypertensive population; † correlation coefficient not reported; Abbreviations: CIMT: Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; PWV: Pulse Wave Velocity; CSA: Mid-thigh Muscle Cross-sectional Area; n/r: Not reported.