The effect of upright posture on lower extremity endothelial cell function

Diana Sitar, Purdue University

Abstract

Humans spend the majority of their day in an upright posture thus exposing their lower extremity vasculatures to acute bouts of elevated pressures. This increased pressure in the legs may be a contributing factor to endothelial cell dysfunction and atherosclerosis. The hypothesis that increases in pressures leads to endothelium dysfunction was tested in the popliteal artery during a 3-hour upright intervention protocol. Popliteal artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was assessed prior to and post a 3-hour intervention encompassing either sitting (intervention day) or laying down (control day). Contrary to the hypothesis, the upright sitting did not have an impact on popliteal artery endothelial cell function (P > 0.05). This is in disagreement with previous research showing that a 3-hour increase in pressure in the brachial artery negatively impacts endothelial cell function [1]. It is possible that a 3-hour intervention was not sufficient time to elicit any change to endothelial cell function given that the popliteal artery is exposed to this hydrostatic challenge daily in this subject population. In conjunction, adaptation may have already occurred in this vasculature sparing it from decreases in endothelial cell function following bouts of high blood pressure.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Newcomer, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Kinesiology|Physiology

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