Lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant status in unprofessional athletes before and after a cardiopulmonary test.

We examined lipid peroxidation, expressed as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and total antioxidant status (TAS) before and after a cardiopulmonary test, in 20 sedentary controls and in 62 unprofessional male athletes subdivided into 3 subgroups. The first included subjects who practised endurance sports (14 cyclists and 9 endurance swimmers), the second subjects who practised mixed sports (6 basket players, 6 judoists, 8 water polo players) and the third group subjects who practised power sports (3 sprint runners, 4 weightlifters, 12 sprint swimmers). In the whole group of athletes an increase in TBARS and a decrease in TAS were present at baseline. Subdividing the whole group into three subgroups we observed an increase in TBARS in all and a decrease in TAS only in the endurance and mixed athletes. After the test, TBARS showed a more significant increase in controls compared to the whole group and each subgroup of athletes, while TAS increased only in the whole group and in those who practised mixed sports. In conclusion, at baseline in athletes the oxidative status shows a different behaviour compared to controls, while after the test the antioxidant protection is more marked and it may be related to an increase of antioxidant systems.

Erythrocyte deformability and nitric oxide metabolites in athletes before and after a cardiopulmonary test.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate erythrocyte deformability, nitric oxide metabolites, and their modifications induced by exercise in athletes who practised different sports. DESIGN: This evaluation was effected before and after cardiopulmonary test, using a cycloergometer. SETTING: The study was performed in the Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular and Renal Diseases of the University of Palermo. PARTICIPANTS: We enrolled 62 male athletes who practised endurance (n = 23), mixed (n = 20), and power (n = 19) sports and 20 sedentary male subjects as controls. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS: No subject had diabetes or hypertension or dyslipidemia. Five control subjects and 14 athletes were smokers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Erythrocyte deformability was examined as elongation index (EI) using a diffractometer. The nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite + nitrate = NOx) were evaluated employing the Griess reagent. RESULTS: In the whole group, an increase in EI and NOx was present. Subdividing the whole group into 3 subgroups, we noted an increase in EI and NOx only in endurance and mixed athletes. The EI before and after the cardiopulmonary test significantly decreased in the whole group and in power athletes but not in endurance and mixed athletes. Before and after the test, NOx did not significantly change in the whole group and in the 3 subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In athletes who practised endurance and mixed sports, we observed an increase of NOx level and an increase of erythrocyte deformability. The latter did not change after an exercise test in the same subgroups, whereas it decreased in power athletes.

Relationship between elastase and total antioxidant status in young subjects with recent myocardial infarction.

In a group of young subjects with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (68 men and 7 women; mean age 39.6+/-5.7 years) we examined the plasma concentration of elastase, the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and the total antioxidant status (TAS) at the initial stage of AMI. In this group we found an increase of elastase (p<0.001) and TBARS (p<0.001) and a decrease of TAS (p<0.001). A statistical correlation was observed in the whole group of AMI patients between plasma elastase and TAS (p<0.01) and this correlation was more statistically significant in patients with more risk factors and not in those with more involved vessels.

Evaluation of oxidative status in coronary heart disease at baseline and during exercise test.

Oxidative stress has probably a role in coronary heart disease (CHD), but studies focused on the behaviour of oxidative status in patients with stable CHD have obtained controversial results. On the other hand, an increased release of leukocyte elastase is considered a marker of CHD. Exercise can induce oxidative stress and leukocyte activation, so the aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative status and plasma elastase level in a group of subjects with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), at baseline and during an exercise test. We enrolled 15 patients with previous acute myocardial infarction, all treated with statins and platelet antiaggregating agents. As parameters of oxidative status we determined the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and total antioxidant status (TAS). The exercise test was performed according to the Bruce protocol. At baseline, elastase level was higher in CHD subjects than in normal controls and during the exercise test it increased in both groups in comparison with basal values. Regarding oxidative status, only TAS was slightly lower in CHD subjects than in normal controls. In both groups, during exercise test, no parameter of oxidative status was significantly different compared to basal values. In conclusion, CHD patients showed, at rest, an abnormal neutrophil activation and a lower antioxidant status. The exercise test further activated neutrophils but did not influence oxidative status. The absence of a marked oxidative stress in our patients may be partly due to the pharmacological treatment, which apparently did not influence the abnormal leukocyte activation.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in subjects with vascular atherosclerotic disease subdivided according to its extent.

An abnormal activation state of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) plays a key role in organ injury induced by vascular atherosclerotic disease (VAD) and diabetes mellitus (DM). PMN membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ content can be considered markers of PMN activation. In this research we evaluated the PMN membrane fluidity and cytosolic Ca2+ content in VAD subjects with and without type 2 DM and examined the association between these parameters and the mono- or polyvascular localization. We enrolled 155 VAD subjects, including 92 non-diabetic (group A: mean age 63.6 +/- 9.2 years) and 63 diabetic patients (group B: mean age 65.4 +/- 7.8 years). Among group A 63 patients had monovascular and 29 polyvascular disease; among group B 30 patients had monovascular and 22 polyvascular disease. In each patient we evaluated the PMN membrane fluidity labelling the cells with the fluorescent probe 1,4-(trimethylamino)-phenyl-4-phenylhexatriene (TMA-DPH) and the PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content marking the cells with the fluorescent probe Fura 2-AM. PMN membrane fluidity did not discriminate normal subjects from diabetic and non-diabetic VAD subjects, while cytosolic Ca2+ content was increased in both groups. PMN membrane fluidity did not distinguish normal subjects from mono- or polyvascular VAD patients with and without type 2 DM. PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content was increased especially in monovascular VAD patients; both mono- and polyvascular VAD subjects with DM had a PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content higher than normals. Our results show the presence of an increased PMN cytosolic Ca2+ content in diabetic and non-diabetic VAD subjects but no association was observed between this increase and the mono- or polyvascular localization.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase mutation in subjects with abdominal aortic aneurysm subdivided for age.

The aim of the study was to verify the association between abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation, in relation to age. We studied the frequency of the MTHFR 677T allele in two groups of AAA patients, over and under 60 years. The first AAA group included 42 patients (30 men and 12 women) aged between 65 and 75 years; the second AAA group included 46 patients (32 men and 14 women) aged between 49 and 59 years; the control group included 44 healthy controls (29 men and 15 women) aged between 49 and 75 years. We examined MTHFR allele frequency and MTHFR genotype using Nuclear Laser Medicine. MTHFR allele frequency was significantly increased in AAA patients >60 compared to healthy controls and in AAA patients <60 compared to those >60. The genotype study showed a difference between controls and AAA patients and between AAA patients >60 and those <60. The frequency of MTHFR mutation was more elevated in both AAA groups vs controls, but it was more elevated in younger patients than in the older ones. This mutation might induce an early elastin degradation in the aortic wall.