title: N-acetylcysteine attenuates oxidative burst by neutrophils in response to ergometer rowing with no effect on pulmonary gas exchange.
abstract: This study evaluated whether the reduction of the neutrophil oxidative burst by N-acetylcysteine improves pulmonary gas exchange during a six minute maximal ergometer row. Healthy trained oarsmen were double-blinded randomized to either N-acetylcysteine (6 g daily for three days) or placebo groups. As determined by the relative changes of the zymosan-stimulated luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence response, N-acetylcysteine suppressed the exercise-induced enhanced neutrophil oxidative burst response to rowing (-7 +/- 6% vs. 17 +/- 8%; P < 0.05). This was the case although the concentration of neutrophils remained similarly elevated above the pre-exercise level in both trials (to 5.4+/-0.5 vs. 5.9+/-0.6 x 10(9) cells x l(-1), respectively, P>0.05). In the placebo and N-acetylcysteine groups, pulmonary ventilation increased and the arterial CO2 partial pressure decreased to the same extent during exercise. Also, at the end of exercise the arterial O2 partial pressure (77 1 vs. 78+/-1 mmHg), haemoglobin O2 saturation (92 +/- 1% vs. 93 +/- 1%) and O2 uptake (5.0 +/- 0.2 vs. 4.9 +/- 0.21 x min(-1)) were not significantly affected by N-acetylcysteine. Equally, two hours after exercise, the pulmonary diffusion capacity was reduced by 7 +/- 2% below the pre-exercise with no significant influence of N-acetylcysteine. We conclude that the neutrophil oxidative burst to exercise does not influence pulmonary gas exchange during and after maximal rowing.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. h.bay@dadlnet.dk
authors: H B
authors: HB
authors: Nielsen
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kharazmi
authors: M L
authors: ML
authors: Bolbjerg
authors: H E
authors: HE
authors: Poulsen
authors: B K
authors: BK
authors: Pedersen
authors: N H
authors: NH
authors: Secher
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D016552:Ergometry; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000502:physiology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D000111:Acetylcysteine