Endurance exercise training enhances cutaneous microvascular reactivity in post-menopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare cutaneous microvascular reactivity between untrained young and post-menopausal women, and assess the effects of 48 weeks of endurance exercise training on cutaneous microvascular reactivity in post-menopausal women. METHODS: Twenty post-menopausal and 12 young women completed this study. Using laser-Doppler flowmetry, an index of skin blood flow was measured on the forearm at rest, during post-occlusive reactive hyperaemia (PORH), and during localised heating to 42°C. Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) was calculated as the ratio of laser-Doppler flow to mean arterial pressure (in AU mm Hg(-1)). For the post-menopausal women, this assessment was also performed after 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks of endurance exercise training. RESULTS: PORH and maximum CVC responses were depressed in untrained post-menopausal women compared with young controls (P ≤ 0.011 for all methods of data expression). PORH was increased (P0.05). CONCLUSION: Cutaneous microvascular reactivity is reduced in post-menopausal women compared to young controls and increased to similar levels after 24-36 weeks of mild-to-moderate endurance exercise