Early assessment of exercise induced skeletal muscle injury using plasma fatty acid binding protein.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether fatty acid binding protein (FABP) is a useful plasma marker for the early detection of exercise induced skeletal muscle injury in healthy subjects.


METHODS
Plasma concentrations of FABP and myoglobin (Mb) were measured in six healthy physical education teacher trainees after 20 minutes of downhill running (16% incline; mean lactate 4 mmol/l; 70% (VO2MAX). Creatine kinase (CK) was measured for comparison.


RESULTS
Significant increases were found in plasma FABP (mean peak level 50 micrograms/l), Mb (823 micrograms/l), and CK (491 U/l). Mb and FABP concentrations were already significantly elevated (p < 0.05) at 30 minutes, but CK not until two hours after exercise. Whereas Mb and FABP decreased to normal levels within 24 hours, CK activity remained elevated until 48 hours. The Mb to FABP ratio in plasma after exercise induced muscle injury was 15.0 (1.3) (mean (SEM)) (range 7.4-31.1), which is within the range of ratios calculated for skeletal muscle tissue contents of Mb and FABP, but different from the reported plasma ratio after myocardial injury (4-6).


CONCLUSIONS
After eccentric exercise induced muscle injury, plasma FABP and Mb increase and decrease more rapidly than CK, indicating that both FABP and Mb are more useful than CK for the early detection of such injuries and the monitoring of injury during repeated exercise bouts. In addition, the Mb to FABP ratio in the plasma identifies the type of muscle injured.
Sorichter
S
S
Department of Medical Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Innsbruck Medical School, Austria.
Mair
J
J
Koller
A
A
Pelsers
M M
MM
Puschendorf
B
B
Glatz
J F
JF
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries* / Q000378:metabolism; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein / Q000097:blood*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C107608:FABP7 protein, human; D000071438:Fatty Acid-Binding Protein 7; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D018996:Myelin P2 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins