PMID 41259067

Research
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High-Intensity Interval Training and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training on Ventricular-Arterial Coupling (VAC) in Young Women With Obesity

Simões CF, Okawa RTP, Locatelli JC, de Oliveira GH, Reck HB, Bohn L, Mota J, Lopes WA

Question

Do 8 weeks of HIIT and MICT improve ventricular-arterial coupling in young women with obesity, and do PWV/GLS and Ea/Ees methods show similar changes?

Summary

In 24 young women with obesity who completed an 8-week supervised walking/running program, both HIIT and isocaloric MICT improved ventricular-arterial coupling measured by the PWV/GLS ratio. Only HIIT significantly reduced the elastance-derived Ea/Ees ratio and improved body weight, BMI, body fat, and VO2peak. The sample was small and limited to young women with obesity but without other cardiometabolic disease.

Methodology

  • 24 women with class I-II obesity completed all assessments; HIIT n=11 and MICT n=13. The study initially enrolled and randomized 44 women.
  • 24 participants.
  • Walking/running.
  • Work intervals: 4 min at 85-95% HRmax.
  • Recovery: 3 min active recovery.
  • Intensity: 85-95% HRmax.
  • 40 min including 10-min warm-up and 5-min cool-down.
  • 3 sessions/week.
  • 8 weeks.
  • Randomized controlled supervised exercise study
  • Ventricular-arterial coupling, Vascular and cardiac components, and Body composition and fitness were tracked.

Outcomes

PWV/GLS ventricular-arterial coupling

Both HIIT and MICT significantly improved PWV/GLS ratio.

HIIT -0.35 +/- 0.07 to -0.31 +/- 0.05 m/s%, p=0.005; MICT -0.35 +/- 0.07 to -0.30 +/- 0.04, p=0.003; between-group relative change p=0.884

Improved

Ea/Ees ventricular-arterial coupling

Only HIIT significantly reduced the Ea/Ees ratio.

HIIT 0.88 +/- 0.07 to 0.80 +/- 0.09, p=0.024; MICT 0.90 +/- 0.12 to 0.89 +/- 0.18, p=0.435

Mixed

Body composition and VO2peak

Only HIIT showed significant improvements in weight, BMI, body fat, and VO2peak.

Weight 90.7 +/- 14.07 to 88.8 +/- 13.05 kg, p=0.002; BMI 34.1 +/- 3.9 to 33.4 +/- 3.5, p=0.002; body fat 44.1 +/- 3.6 to 41.2 +/- 3.7%, p<0.001; VO2peak 27.5 +/- 3.7 to 29.4 +/- 4.9, p=0.024

Improved

Target intensity

Both groups consistently achieved target HR zones.

HIIT 92 +/- 2% HRmax; MICT 73 +/- 2% HRmax

Improved

Insights

  • A 4 x 4-min walking/running HIIT protocol can be HR-monitored and standardized for young women with obesity.
  • VAC results are mechanistic/surrogate and should not be used as direct consumer-facing outcome claims.
  • Medical screening was extensive, which matters for translating high-intensity programs in obesity.

Limitations

  • Small final sample and high non-completion from initial enrollment.
  • Women with obesity only, without other obesity-related comorbidities.
  • Exploratory PWV/GLS outcome with limited external comparators.
  • Elastance method is not a true gold standard.
  • No adverse event or detailed adherence reporting located.

Safety

  • Participants underwent extensive cardiovascular screening before eligibility. No adverse event reporting was located in the article text.