Evidence mapPaperPMID 41906346Full record

ArticlePhysiological reports2026

Exploring the relationship between reproductive aging, arterial stiffness, and cardiorespiratory fitness in women after menopause.

Luís Ferreira, Catarina Abrantes, Maria Emília Alves, Lucimere Bohn, Helena Moreira

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Physiological reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Luís FerreiraDepartment of Sports Science, Douro Higher Institute of Educational Sciences, CI-ISCE, Penafiel, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-2580-8060
Catarina AbrantesDepartment of Sports Science, Exercise and Health, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0001-7174-2288
Maria Emília AlvesDepartment of Sports Science, Douro Higher Institute of Educational Sciences, CI-ISCE, Penafiel, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-2583-8657
Lucimere BohnResearch Centre in Physical Activity, Health, and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sport at the University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0001-7988-968X
Helena MoreiraDepartment of Sports Science, Exercise and Health, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-5481-0688

Funding

MEC | Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) UID/04033/2025
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This cross-sectional study examined associations between postmenopausal stage (early and late), arterial stiffness, and cardiorespiratory fitness. A total of 125 postmenopausal women (58.07 ± 6.61 years) underwent carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity assessment (SphygmoCor, Atcor). A subset of 96 women (57.20 ± 6.42 years) completed an estimated maximal oxygen uptake testing, using a Monark Ergomedic 839E cycle ergometer. Multiple stepwise regressions identified predictors of arterial stiffness and cardiorespiratory fitness. Compared with late postmenopause, early postmenopausal women showed lower arterial stiffness (-0.71 ± 0.29 m/s, p = 0.02) and systolic blood pressure (-6.40 ± 3.06 mmHg, p = 0.04), indicating a relative difference within postmenopause. Early postmenopause also showed higher cardiorespiratory fitness levels than late postmenopause. Moreover, body fat percentage was inversely associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in +1c substage, and visceral fat level displayed inverse associations with cardiorespiratory fitness in late postmenopause. In the +1a substage, hormone therapy was positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in exploratory model. Within postmenopause, early postmenopause showed lower arterial stiffness and systolic blood pressure than late postmenopause, and blood pressure and adiposity emerged as key correlates of vascular stiffness and fitness. While causal inference is precluded by the cross-sectional design, the results support stage-targeted strategies emphasizing BP control, body-composition management, and exercise to help preserve vascular and functional health in women after menopause.

Indexed as

AgingCardiorespiratory FitnessMenopausePostmenopauseVascular StiffnessBlood PressureCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPulse Wave Analysisagingcardiovascularfitnesshemodynamicspostmenopause

Identifiers

PMID41906346
PMCPMC13140205

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.