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THE EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM REGULAR EXERCISE ON ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTIONS,
INFLAMMATORY AND THROMBOTIC ACTIVITY IN MIDDLE-AGED, HEALTHY MEN
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Metin
Ergün1 ,
Istemihan Tengiz2, Ugur Türk2, Seckin Senisik1,
Emin Alioglu2, Oguz Yüksel1, Ertugrul Ercan2
and Cetin Islegen1 |
1Department of Sports Medicine, Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir,
Turkey
2Department of Cardiology, Central Hospital, Izmir, Turkey
| Received |
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16 January 2006 |
| Accepted |
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20
April 2006 |
| Published |
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01
June 2006 |
©
Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2006) 5, 266
- 275
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| ABSTRACT |
| As studying with population carrying no classical cardiovascular
risk factors seems to be an advantage in isolating effects of regular
exercise on endothelial functions, inflammatory and thrombotic activity;
the present study was designed to evaluate the clear effects of long-term
regular exercise in middle-aged, healthy men. A total of 32 regularly
exercising (three times per week, 12.8 ± 6.8 years) men (Group
I, mean age = 53.2 ± 6. 1 yrs) and 32 sex- and age-matched
sedentary subjects (Group II, mean age = 51.0 ± 7.7 yrs) were
involved in the study. All participants were non-smokers and with
no history of hypertension and diabetes. During one day preceding
tests, the subjects refrained from training and maintained their normal
diet. In all subjects, body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat
(% BF) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) were calculated.
Serum uric acid, glucose, HbA1c, lipids, high-sensitive C-reactive
protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen levels, white blood cell (WBC) and platelet
count were measured. Resting heart rates and blood pressures were
recorded and standard exercise stress test was applied using the modified
Bruce protocol. Flow-mediated and nitrate-induced dilatation (FMD
and NID) of the brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness
(cIMT) were evaluated as markers of endothelial functions and early
atherosclerosis. Mean BMI, % BF, systolic and diastolic blood pressures,
WBC and platelet count, HbA1c, total and LDL cholesterol, hs-CRP and
fibrinogen levels were similar between the groups. Group I had significantly
lower serum glucose, uric acid and triglyceride (p < 0.05, p <
0.005 and p < 0.05, respectively) and higher HDL cholesterol levels
(p < 0.0001) than in Group II. FMD values were significantly higher
in Group I than in Group II (p < 0.005) while there were no significant
differences in NID and cIMT measures between the groups. VO2max
and cIMT showed a negative correlation in Group I (r = -0.463, p <
0.0001). Negative correlations also existed between VO2max
and fibrinogen levels in both Group I and II (r = -0.355, p < 0.05
and r = -0.436, p < 0.05, respectively). These results are concordant
with the concept of favorable effects of regular physical exercise
on cardiovascular health based on enhancement of endothelial functions
even in subjects who have low cardiovascular risk profile.
KEY
WORDS: Physical activity, flow-mediated dilatation, nitrate
induced dilatation, carotid intima-media thickness, C-reactive protein,
fibrinogen.
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