The acute effects of prolonged uninterrupted sitting on vascular function: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Frances Taylor, Pinto, Ana J., Nirav Maniar, David W. Dunstan, Green, Daniel J.
Abstract
Background: The time-course of vascular impairment in response to prolonged sitting is presently unknown. Whether there is a minimum amount of uninterrupted sitting which results in clinically relevant changes in vascular function is also unknown Purpose: To determine the dose-response relationship between prolonged sitting and vascular function in healthy individuals and those with metabolic disturbances. Methods: Systematic review with meta-analysis. Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL were searched from inception to 4 December 2020. Results: Prolonged sitting resulted in a significant decrease in the standardised mean change (SMC) for lower-limb FMD at the 120-min (SMC = -0.85, 95%CI -1.32 to -0.38) and 180-min (SMC = -1.18, 95%CI -1.69 to -0.66) time points. Subgroup analysis indicated that prolonged sitting decreased lower-limb FMD in healthy adults (SMC = -1.16, 95%CI -1.75 to -0.58) who had higher a priori vascular endothelial function, but not in those with metabolic and vascular dysfunction (SMC = -0.51, 95%CI -1.18 to 0.15). Conclusions: Lower-limb vascular function is progressively impaired because of prolonged sitting. Subgroup analysis indicated prolonged sitting negatively impacts healthy populations, a finding not observed in those with metabolic disturbances. PROSPERO trial registration number: CRD42020171394.