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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 May 6.
Published in final edited form as: Vasc Med. 2021 May 12;26(4):448–458. doi: 10.1177/1358863X211009307

Table 3.

Acute effects of different break types on regional vascular outcomes (e.g., PWV, superficial femoral artery FMD, cerebral blood flow).

Outcome Author, Year Break Type (duration/frequency) Effect
PWV – Carotid-Femoral

Barone Gibbs et al., 201734 Standing (30 min every 30 min) -
Kowalsky et al., 201944 Resistance exercises (variable, 1.3-2.6 min every 60 min) -

PWV – Carotid-Ankle

Barone Gibbs et al., 201734 Standing (30 min every 30 min)
Kowalsky et al., 201944 Resistance exercises (variable, 1.3-2.6 min every 60 min) -

PWV – Carotid-Radial

Barone Gibbs et al., 201734 Standing (30 min every 30 min) -
Kowalsky et al., 201944 Resistance exercises (variable, 1.3-2.6 min every 60 min) -

SFA FMD

Carter et al., 201938 Light walking (2 min every 30 min) -
Carter et al., 201938 Light walking (8 min every 120 min) -
Climie et al., 201840 Resistance exercises (3 min every 30 min) ↑↑
Kerr et al., 201743 Standing (2 min every 20 min) -
Kerr et al., 201743 Standing (10 min every 60 min) +
Kerr et al., 201743 Light walking (2 min every 60 min) ↑↑

SFA blood flow

Carter et al., 201938 Light walking (2 min every 30 min) -
Carter et al., 201938 Light walking (8 min every 120 min)
Climie et al., 201840 Resistance exercises (3 min every 30 min) -

SFA shear rate

Carter et al., 201938 Light walking (2 min every 30 min) -
Carter et al., 201938 Light walking (8 min every 120 min) ↑*
Climie et al., 201840 Resistance exercises (3 min every 30 min) -

MCAv

Perdomo et al., 201935 Standing (30 min every 30 min) -
Carter et al., 201837 Light walking (2 min every 30 min)
Carter et al., 201837 Light walking (8 min every 120 min) -
Wheeler et al., 2019a50 Moderate walking (30 min continuous bout + 3 min every 30 min) -

Note: - No effect; ↑ Single arrow p <0.05; ↑↑ Double arrow p <0.01; ↑* Trend - p 0.05-0.1; ↑+p 0.0167-0.05 where p <0.0167 considered statistically significant based on reported Bonferroni adjustment.

Direction of observed effect is reflected in directionality of arrow. Prolonged sitting is the reference condition.

FMD, flow mediated dilation; MCAv, middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity; PWV, pulse wave velocity; SFA, superficial femoral artery