Cardiorespiratory Fitness Associates Negatively With Arterial Stiffness in a Cohort of Industrial Workers Followed Up for 4 Years.

Objective: Previously, we have found increased carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) among shift workers compared to day workers in industry, and a decline in maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O 2max ) in all 86 workers.

Methods: Utilizing all available measurements in 2018, 2021, and 2022, this study investigated associations between V̇O 2max and measures of arterial stiffness. Using a mixed model approach, we analyzed the cross-sectional association between all V̇O 2max (outcome) and measures of arterial stiffness (covariates).

Results: We observed a significant association between V̇O 2max and cfPWV of -1.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], -3.03 to -0.16), and between augmentation pressure (AP) and augmentation index (Aix) of -0.32 (95% CI, -0.58 to -0.06) and -0.12 (95% CI, -0.23 to -0.005), respectively.

Conclusions: We found a significant negative association between cardiorespiratory fitness and measures of arterial stiffness. The former and present results pose challenges for shift workers' future macrovascular and microvascular health.