The acute effect of maximal exercise on arterial stiffness in adults with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities

We compared central and peripheral arterial stiffness response patterns between persons with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) of different age groups at rest and following a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Fifteen young adults with and without IDD, and 15 middle-aged adults without IDD performed a CPET. Central and peripheral arterial stiffness were measured at rest and following CPET using estimates of carotid-femoral (cfPWV), carotid-radial (crPWV), and carotid-ankle (cdPWV) pulse wave velocity derived from piezoelectric mechano-transducers. cfPWV remained unchanged following CPET in adults with and without IDD but increased in middle-aged adults (d = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.27–1.42 m·s^–1, p = 0.005), whereas cdPWV was similarly reduced (d = –0.77; 95% CI: –1.06 to –0.48 m·s^–1, p < 0.001) in all groups. crPWV remained unchanged in all groups. These results were independent of exercise-related changes in mean arterial pressure. Overall group differences suggested that persons with IDD (d = –1.78; 95% CI: –3.20 to –0.37 m·s^–1, p = 0.009) and without IDD (d = –1.84; 95% CI: –3.26 to –0.43 m·s^–1, p = 0.007) had lower cfPWV than middle-aged adults. We found no evidence of early vascular aging and diminished vascular reserve following CPET in adults with IDD.