p-ISSN: 1300-0551
e-ISSN: 2587-1498

Ejder Berk1, Adnan Demirel2

1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Sütçü İmam University, Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, State Hospital, Bingöl, Turkey

Keywords: Wrestling, arterial stiffness, pulse wave velocity

Abstract

Objective: To compare the arterial stiffness parameter in adolescent elite wrestlers who perform regular heavy exercise with the sedentary control group in the same age range.

Materials and Methods: A group of 23 male wrestlers and a control group of 23 non-athlete males of the same age were compared. The age, height, body weight, resting pulse and blood pressure measurements of the subjects were performed. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured using a photoplethysmography device.

Results: There was no significant difference for age in the athlete (16.0 ± 1.1 yrs) and control groups (15.9 ± 0.9 yrs) (p>0.05). Body mass index (BMI) levels of the control group (19.5 ± 2.4 kg/m2) were significantly lower than those of the athlete group (23.6 ± 3.8 kg/m2) (p<0.001). Resting heart rate and arterial blood pressure levels (67.0 ± 8.0 beats/min and 100 ± 6 / 70 ± 5 mmHg, respectively) of the athletes was significantly lower (p<0.001) than those of the control group (78 ± 7 beats/min and 111 ± 8 / 81 ± 3 mmHg, respectively). The PWV scores of the control group (4.66 ± 0.16 m/s) were significantly higher than those of the athlete group (4.41 ± 0.18 m/s), (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Arterial stiffness is an independent assessment of cardiovascular disease and mortality for athletes. This study, which aims to evaluate the effects of exercise on arterial stiffness with PWV measurement in adolescent wrestlers, is believed to help determining how arterial function responds to intense exercise practice.

Cite this article as: Berk E, Demirel A. Assessment of pulse wave velocity as arterial stiffness parameter in adolescent elite wrestlers. Turk J Sports Med. 2018;53(4):167-73.