Vascular stiffness in cold pressor test hyper-reactors

Abstract Background: The cold pressor test (CPT) is a sympathoexcitatory manoeuvre to measure cardiovascular hyperactivity which may be a sign of future hypertension development. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the vascular stiffness background among healthy CPT hyper-reactor (H-R) males and age and gender-matched normo-reactors (N-R). Methods: The study was carried out in 34 healthy young males aged 19 years old. Five minutes of recordings of left middle fingertip digital pulse wave (DPW) signals (through a piezoelectric finger pulse transducer) were registered. This was followed by the application of a cold pressor. Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) during CPT were recorded, and the individuals were divided into N-Rs and H-Rs. Vascular stiffness indices like pulse wave velocity (PWV), B/A wave ratio, pulse rising time (PRT, or crest), large artery stiffness index (SI), and pulse width (PW) were compared between H-Rs and N-Rs. Results: No significant differences were observed between the two groups across all studied parameters. Conclusion: The results suggest there was no difference in the vascular stiffness background between CPT H-R and N-R individuals.