Int J Sports Med 2001; 22(4): 245-249
DOI: 10.1055/s-2001-13811
Physiology and Biochemistry
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Reproducibility of Ultrasound Blood Flow Measurement of the Superior Mesenteric Artery Before and After Exercise

H. P. F. Peters1 , D. de Leeuw1 , R. C. Lapham2 , E. Bol1 , W. L. Mosterd1 , W. R. de Vries1
  • 1 Department of Medical Physiology and Sports Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
  • 2 Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
31 December 2001 (online)

This study examines the reproducibility of gastro-intestinal blood flow measurements in the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) both before and immediately after exercise with Doppler ultrasound measurements. Twelve well-trained males (mean ± SD: age 25.9 ± 3.8 yr; VšO2max 4.8 ± 0.9 l×min--1) were measured twice (trial 1 and 2) with a 1 week interval before and immediately after 1hr cycling at 70 % VšO2max. Duplex scanning was performed with the athletes in supine position immediately after transition from a chair (before exercise) or bicycle (after exercise). The variability of three measurements before exercise was studied within both trials (short-term reproducibility) and the mean pre-exercise values were compared between the trials (long-term reproducibility). In addition, post-exercise measurements were compared in the same way. Reproducibility was tested using the coefficient of variation and Cronbach’s α. Mean pre-exercise blood flow was 424 ± 66 ml/min (n = 12) in trial 1 and 375 ± 38 ml/min (n = 11) in trial 2. Immediately after exercise blood flow had decreased by 49 % to 214 ± 36 ml/min (p < 0.01) in trial 1 and by 38 % to 234 ± 36 ml/min (p < 0.01) in trial 2. Blood flow before and after exercise was not significantly different between trials (paired t-test) and therefore reproducible at the group level. Before exercise a good to fair reproducibility was observed both at the short-term (Cronbach's α: 0.88 in trial 1, 0.73 in trial 2, n = 11), and at the long-term (α = 0.80, n = 11). In contrast, long-term reproducibility immediately after exercise was poor (α = -0.99, n = 8 and α = 0.36, n = 7 after the first and second cycling period, respectively). In conclusion, duplex scanning of SMA after a sitting-supine transition in well-trained subjects is not a reproducible method at the individual level for intestinal blood flow measurements immediately after exercise.

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Harry P. F. Peters

Department of Medical Physiology and Sports Medicine
University Medical Centre Utrecht

P.O. Box 85060
3508 AB Utrecht
The Netherlands


Phone: Phone:+31 (30) 2538900

Fax: Fax:+31 (30) 2539036

Email: E-mail:h.p.f.peters@med.uu.nl

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