Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Topeliuksenkatu 41a A, 00250, Helsinki, Finland.
Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2012 May;85(4):397-403. doi: 10.1007/s00420-011-0681-0. Epub 2011 Jul 26.
Monitoring cardiovascular risk factors is important in health promotion among firefighters. The assessment of arterial stiffness (AS) may help to detect early signs of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to analyze associations between aerobic fitness, cognitive symptoms and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) as a measure for AS among Finnish firefighters.
The data are one part of a large 13-year follow-up study of the health and physical and mental capacity of Finnish professional firefighters. The subjects in this substudy comprised 65 male firefighters of a mean age of 48.0 (42-58) years in 2009. Their maximal oxygen uptake was successfully measured in two cross-sectional studies in 1996 and 2009, and they responded to questionnaires at both sessions, and their CAVI was measured in 2009. CAVI was calculated from the pulse waveform signal and pulse wave velocity. The lifestyle habits and subjective cognitive stress-related symptoms were collected via a standardized questionnaire. Muscular fitness was measured by the routine test battery used for Finnish firefighters.
CAVI was related to age. About one-fifth of the firefighters had a CAVI of >8. Aerobic fitness was the main physiological factor correlating with increased CAVI. Interestingly, VO(2)max and the accelerated decrease in VO(2)max during a 13-year follow-up were associated with signs of impaired vascular function. The cognitive symptoms derived from the Profile of Mood States questionnaire (POMS) were mainly associated with stress and sleeping difficulties. No clear association with physical fitness was found in this population of fit firefighters.
Among firefighters, the decrease in aerobic fitness predicts increased arterial stiffness. The speed of the age-related decline in maximal oxygen consumption is as important as absolute level. Against expectations, the cognitive function did not correlate with vascular health parameters. The cognitive symptoms, however, were only mild.
在促进消防员健康方面，监测心血管危险因素非常重要。评估动脉僵硬度（AS）有助于早期发现动脉粥样硬化的迹象。本研究旨在分析芬兰消防员的有氧适能、认知症状与心血管踝臂指数（CAVI）之间的关系，CAVI 是 AS 的一个衡量指标。
本研究的数据来自于一项对芬兰职业消防员健康和身体及精神能力进行的为期 13 年的大型随访研究的一部分。本研究的对象是 2009 年年龄在 48.0（42-58）岁的 65 名男性消防员，他们在 1996 年和 2009 年的两次横断面研究中成功测量了最大摄氧量，两次研究都进行了问卷调查，并于 2009 年测量了 CAVI。CAVI 是通过脉搏波信号和脉搏波速度计算得出的。生活方式习惯和主观认知应激相关症状是通过标准化问卷收集的。肌肉力量是通过芬兰消防员使用的常规测试电池进行测量的。
CAVI 与年龄有关。大约五分之一的消防员 CAVI>8。有氧适能是与 CAVI 升高相关的主要生理因素。有趣的是，最大摄氧量和 13 年随访期间最大摄氧量的加速下降与血管功能受损的迹象有关。源自状态特质焦虑问卷（POMS）的认知症状主要与压力和睡眠困难有关。在这群健康的消防员中，没有发现认知功能与身体健康状况有明显的相关性。
在消防员中，有氧适能的下降预示着动脉僵硬度的增加。最大耗氧量的年龄相关下降速度与绝对水平一样重要。出乎意料的是，认知功能与血管健康参数没有相关性。然而，认知症状只是轻微的。
