Effect of strenuous arm crank exercise on platelet function in patients with spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of arm crank exercise on various platelet functions and prostacyclin in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
Research project at a hospital-based exercise physiology laboratory.


METHODS
Seven men (with lesions at levels T11, n = 1; T12, n = 2; L1, n = 2; L2, n = 2) and 3 women (T12, n = 1; L1, n = 2) in the SCI group had SCI for at least 6 weeks. Ten age- and gender-matched healthy people who had not engaged in any regular physical activity for at least 1 year were selected as the control group.


METHODS
All subjects exercised strenuously by using an arm crank engometer.


METHODS
Platelet adhesiveness on fibrinogen-coated surface and epinephrine-induced aggregation in vitro, plasma soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin), and urinary 6-keto-prostaglandin F(1alpha) (6-keto PGF(1alpha)) levels.


RESULTS
The SCI group had higher platelet adhesiveness and aggregability and plasma sP-selectin level, but lower urinary 6-keto PGF(1alpha) level than the control group. Platelet adhesiveness and aggregability were enhanced by strenuous arm exercise in all subjects, but only in the SCI group was sP-selectin level increased by exercise. Strenuous exercise raised the levels of 6-keto PGF(1alpha) in control group subjects, but not in subjects with SCI.


CONCLUSIONS
Individuals with SCI had more extensive basal and exercise-induced platelet activation and sP-selectin release than people without SCI. Moreover, strenuous arm exercise, which enhanced the release of prostacyclin in healthy subjects, failed to do so in those with SCI.
Wang
Jong-Shyan
JS
Department of Physical Therapy, Chang Gung University, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, ROC. s5492@mail.cgu.edu.tw
Yang
Chih Fang
CF
Wong
May-Kuen
MK
D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha / Q000652:urine; D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D015539:Platelet Activation; D010973:Platelet Adhesiveness; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D019007:P-Selectin; D015121:6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha