ABSTRACT

　Purpose: To investigate whether exercise training improves endothelial function.Methods: The present study included community-dwelling elderly individuals whowere 65 years of age or older. The study participants were divided into the interventiongroup and the control group. The intervention group underwent the exercise program“interval walking training” during 5 months. Those who completed the assessmentsbefore and after the intervention period and did not have missing data were includedin the analysis. The reactive hyperemia index （RHI） was used to evaluate endothelialfunction.　Results: Forty-four males （19 from the intervention group） and 44 females （17from the intervention group） were analyzed. At the baseline assessment, the RHI was1.88±0.58 for males and 1.96 ± 0.73 for females. Among males, the RHI significantlyincreased in the intervention group, while the RHI did not significantly change in thecontrol group. Among females, the RHI did not significantly change during the periodeither in the intervention or control group. Among males, the percent change of RHIwas 25.4 ± 40.0% in the intervention group and 7.1 ± 37.7% in the control group（p = 0.127）．Among females, the percent change of RHI was 22.6 ± 54.6% in theintervention group and 19.0 ± 47.0% in the control group（ p = 0.971）．After adjustingfor age and hypertension, the percent change of RHI tended to be higher in the maleintervention groups than in the control groups （p = 0.096 for males and p = 0.567 forfemales）．Conclusion: Interval walking training during 5 months would improve endothelialfunction among community-dwelling elderly males.　

DECENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.40/The DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE