Resistance training and diastolic myocardial tissue velocities in obese children.

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the effects of resistance exercise training on early diastolic myocardial velocities (E') in an obese pediatric population. Twenty-three obese adolescents were selected to participate in either a resistance-based training program (RT; n = 13, 12.2 +/- 0.4 yr, body mass index [BMI] = 32.5 +/- 1.9 kg m(-2)) or a nonexercise control intervention (n = 10, 13.6 +/- 0.7 yr, BMI = 30.2 +/- 2.6 kg m(-2)) for 8 wk. All subjects had repeated echocardiographic assessments to determine left ventricular (LV) geometry, early transmitral flow velocity (E), and E'. LV mass and wall thicknesses did not significantly change with training or in controls. RT improved E' (11.9 +/- 0.5 to 13.3 +/- 0.5 cm s(-1), P< 0.01) in the presence of a decrease in E/E' (8.17 +/- 0.39 to 7.06 +/- 0.30 cm s(-1), P < 0.01), a marker of left atrial pressure. No changes were evident in the inactive control subjects. A supervised 8-wk RT exercise program improved early diastolic tissue velocity in obese children, independent of changes in LV morphology.