Browsing by Author "Witman, Melissa A."
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Item Associations between noninvasive upper- and lower-limb vascular function assessments: extending the evidence to young women(Journal of Applied Physiology, 2022-10-01) D'Agata, Michele N.; Hoopes, Elissa K.; Witman, Melissa A.Brachial artery (BA) flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a well-established measure of peripheral vascular function prognostic of future cardiovascular events. The vasodilatory response to FMD (FMD%) reflects upper-limb conduit artery function, whereas reactive hyperemia (RH) following cuff-occlusion release reflects upper-limb resistance artery function. Comparatively, passive leg movement (PLM) is a newer, increasingly utilized assessment of lower-limb resistance artery function. To increase its clinical utility, PLM-induced leg blood flow (LBF) responses have been compared with hemodynamic responses to FMD, but only in men. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare LBF responses to FMD% and RH responses in women. We hypothesized that LBF responses would be positively associated with both FMD% and RH, but to a greater extent with RH. FMD and PLM were performed on 72 women (23 ± 4 yr). Arterial diameter and blood velocity were assessed using Doppler ultrasound. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to evaluate associations. Measures of resistance artery function were weakly positively associated: change in BA blood flow ΔBABF and ΔLBF (r = 0.33, P < 0.01), BABF area under the curve (BABF AUC) and LBF AUC (r = 0.33, P < 0.01), and BABFpeak and LBFpeak (r = 0.37, P < 0.01). However, FMD% was not associated with any index of PLM (all P > 0.30). In women, indices of resistance artery function in the upper- and lower limbs were positively associated. However, contrary to the previous work in men, upper-limb conduit artery function was not associated with lower-limb resistance artery function suggesting these assessments capture different aspects of vascular function and should not be used interchangeably in women. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Upper- and lower-limb indices of resistance artery function are positively associated in young women when assessed by reactive hyperemia following brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) cuff-occlusion release and leg blood flow responses to passive leg movement (PLM), respectively. However, despite previous data demonstrating a positive association between upper-limb conduit artery function assessed by FMD and lower-limb resistance artery function assessed by PLM in young men, these measures do not appear to be related in young women.Item Evidence of reduced peripheral microvascular function in young Black women across the menstrual cycle(Journal of Applied Physiology, 2021-12-01) D’Agata, Michele N.; Hoopes, Elissa K.; Berube, Felicia R.; Hirt, Alexandra E.; Kuczmarski, Andrew V.; Ranadive, Sushant M.; Wenner, Megan M.; Witman, Melissa A.Black women (BLW) have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality compared with White women (WHW). A racial disparity in CVD risk has been identified early in life as young adult BLW demonstrate attenuated vascular function compared with WHW. Previous studies comparing vascular function between premenopausal WHW and BLW have been limited to the early follicular (EF) phase of the menstrual cycle, which may not reflect their vascular function during other menstrual phases. Therefore, we evaluated peripheral microvascular function in premenopausal WHW and BLW using passive leg movement (PLM) during three menstrual phases: EF, ovulation (OV), and mid-luteal (ML). We hypothesized that microvascular function would be augmented during the OV and ML phases compared with the EF phase in both groups, but would be attenuated in BLW compared with WHW at all three phases. PLM was performed on 26 apparently healthy premenopausal women not using hormonal contraceptives: 15 WHW (23 ± 3 yr), 11 BLW (24 ± 5 yr). There was a main effect of race on the overall change in leg blood flow (ΔLBF) (P = 0.01) and leg blood flow area under the curve (LBF AUC) (P = 0.02), such that LBF was lower in BLW. However, there was no effect of phase on ΔLBF (P = 0.69) or LBF AUC (P = 0.65), nor an interaction between race and phase on ΔLBF (P = 0.37) or LBF AUC (P = 0.75). Despite peripheral microvascular function being unchanged across the menstrual cycle, a racial disparity was apparent as microvascular function was attenuated in BLW compared with WHW across the menstrual cycle. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: This is the first study to compare peripheral microvascular function between young, otherwise healthy Black women and White women at multiple phases of the menstrual cycle. Our novel findings demonstrate a significant effect of race on peripheral microvascular function such that Black women exhibit significant attenuations in microvascular function across the menstrual cycle compared with White women.Item Melatonin supplementation does not alter vascular function or oxidative stress in healthy normotensive adults on a high sodium diet(Physiological Reports, 2023-12-18) Ramos Gonzalez, Macarena; Axler, Michael R.; Kaseman, Kathryn E.; Lobene, Andrea J.; Farquhar, William B.; Witman, Melissa A.; Kirkman, Danielle L.; Lennon, Shannon L.High sodium diets (HSD) can cause vascular dysfunction, in part due to increases in reactive oxygen species (ROS). Melatonin reduces ROS in healthy and clinical populations and may improve vascular function. The purpose was to determine the effect of melatonin supplementation on vascular function and ROS during 10 days of a HSD. We hypothesized that melatonin supplementation during a HSD would improve vascular function and decrease ROS levels compared to HSD alone. Twenty-seven participants (13 M/14 W, 26.7 ± 2.9 years, BMI: 23.6 ± 2.0 kg/m2, BP: 110 ± 9/67 ± 7 mmHg) were randomized to a 10-day HSD (6900 mg sodium/d) supplemented with either 10 mg of melatonin (HSD + MEL) or a placebo (HSD + PL) daily. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, a measure of macrovascular function, (HSD + PL: 7.1 ± 3.8%; HSD + MEL: 6.7 ± 3.4%; p = 0.59) and tissue oxygenation index (TSI) reperfusion rate, a measure of microvascular reactivity, (HSD + PL: 0.21 ± 0.06%/s; HSD + MEL: 0.21 ± 0.08%/s; p = 0.97) and TSI area under the curve (HSD + PL: 199899 ± 10,863 a.u.; HSD + MEL: 20315 ± 11,348 a.u.; p = 0.17) were similar at the end of each condition. Neither nitroxide molarity (HSD + PL: 7.8 × 10−5 ± 4.1 × 10−5 mol/L; HSD + MEL: 8.7 × 10−5 ± 5.1 × 10−5 mol/L; p = 0.55) nor free radical number (HSD + PL: 8.0 × 1015 ± 4.4 × 1015; HSD + MEL: 9.0 × 1015 ± 4.9 × 1015; p = 0.51) were different between conditions. Melatonin supplementation did not alter vascular function or ROS levels while on a HSD in this sample of young healthyItem Sleep Variability, Eating Timing Variability, and Carotid Intima‐Media Thickness in Early Adulthood(Journal of the American Heart Association Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease, 2023-10-03) Hoopes, Elissa K.; Witman, Melissa A.; D'Agata, Michele N.; Brewer, Benjamin; Edwards, David G.; Robson, Shannon M.; Malone, Susan K.; Keiser, Thomas; Patterson, FredaBackground Day‐to‐day variability in sleep patterns and eating timing may disrupt circadian rhythms and has been linked with various adverse cardiometabolic outcomes. However, the extent to which variability in sleep patterns and eating timing relate to atherosclerotic development in subclinical stages remains unclear. Methods and Results Generally healthy adults (N=62, 29.3±7.3 years, 66% female) completed 14 days of sleep and dietary assessments via wrist accelerometry and photo‐assisted diet records, respectively. Variability in sleep duration, sleep onset, eating onset (time of first caloric consumption), eating offset (time of last caloric consumption), and caloric midpoint (time at which 50% of total daily calories are consumed) were operationalized as the SD across 14 days for each variable. Separate regression models evaluated the cross‐sectional associations between sleep and eating variability metrics with end‐diastolic carotid intima‐media thickness (CIMT) measured via ultrasonography. Models adjusted for age, sex, systolic blood pressure, sleep duration, and total energy intake. Each 60‐minute increase in sleep duration SD and sleep onset SD were associated with a 0.049±0.016 mm (P=0.003) and 0.048±0.017 mm (P=0.007) greater CIMT, respectively. Variability in eating onset and offset were not associated with CIMT; however, each 60‐minute increase in caloric midpoint SD was associated with a 0.033±0.015 mm greater CIMT (P=0.029). Exploratory post hoc analyses suggested that sleep duration SD and sleep onset SD were stronger correlates of CIMT than caloric midpoint SD. Conclusions Variability in sleep patterns and eating timing are positively associated with clinically relevant increases in CIMT, a biomarker of subclinical atherosclerosis, in early adulthood.Item Temporal associations between nightly sleep with daytime eating and activity levels in free-living young adults(SLEEP, 2023-04-21) Hoopes, Elissa K.; Brewer, Benjamin; Robson, Shannon M.; Witman, Melissa A.; D’Agata, Michele N.; Malone, Susan K.; Edwards, David G.; Patterson, FredaStudy Objectives This study aimed to quantify the temporal associations between nightly sleep quantity and timing with daytime eating behavior and activity levels in free-living (i.e. non-experimental) settings. Methods Generally healthy young adults (N = 63; 28.9 ± 7.1 years) completed concurrent sleep (wrist actigraphy), eating (photo-assisted diet records), and activity (waist actigraphy) assessments over 14 days. Multilevel models quantified the associations between nightly sleep (total sleep time, timing of sleep and wake onset) with next-day eating behavior (diet quality, caloric intake, timing of eating onset/offset, eating window duration) and activity levels (total physical activity, sedentary time). Associations in the reverse direction (i.e. eating and activity predicting sleep) were explored. Models adjusted for demographic and behavioral confounders and accounted for multiple testing. Results At within- and between-subject levels, nights with greater-than-average total sleep time predicted a shorter eating window the next day (all p ≤ 0.002). Later-than-average sleep and wake timing predicted within- and between-subject delays in next-day eating onset and offset, and between-subject reductions in diet quality and caloric intake (all p ≤ 0.008). At within- and between-subject levels, total sleep time was bidirectionally, inversely associated with sedentary time (all p < 0.001), while later-than-average sleep and wake timing predicted lower next-day physical activity (all p ≤ 0.008). Conclusions These data underscore the complex interrelatedness between sleep, eating behavior, and activity levels in free-living settings. Findings also suggest that sleep exerts a greater influence on next-day behavior, rather than vice versa. While testing in more diverse samples is needed, these data have potential to enhance health behavior interventions and maximize health outcomes. Graphical Abstract: Available at https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad123