Acute Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Responses to Resistance Exercise in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease: A Pilot Study

Little is known about the inflammatory effects of resistance exercise in healthy and even less in diseased individuals such as cardiac patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute pro- and anti-inflammatory responses during resistance exercise (RE) in patients with coronary artery disease. Eight low risk patients completed two acute RE protocols at low (50% of 1 RM; 2x18 rps) and moderate intensity (75% of 1 RM; 3x8 rps) in random order. Both protocols included six exercises and had the same total load volume. Blood samples were obtained before, immediately after and 60 minutes after each protocol for the determination of lactate, TNFα, INF-γ, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β₁, and hsCRP concentrations. IL-6 and IL-10 levels increased (p < 0.05) immediately after both RE protocols with no differences between protocols. INF-γ was significantly lower (p < 0.05) 60 min after the low intensity protocol, whereas TGF-β1 increased (p < 0.05) immediately after the low intensity protocol. There were no differences in TNF-& and hs-CRP after both RE protocols or between protocols. The above data indicate that acute resistance exercise performed at low to moderate intensity in low risk, trained CAD patients is safe and does not exacerbate the inflammation associated with their disease.

Key points

• Acute resistance exercise is safe without exacerbating inflammation in patients with CAD.
• Both exercise intensities (50 and 75% of 1 RM) elicit desirable pro-and anti-inflammatory responses.
• With both exercise intensities (50 and 75% of 1 RM) acceptable clinical hemodynamic alterations were observed.

Key words: Resistance exercise, inflammation, cardiac rehabilitation