High-sensitive C-reactive protein level and oxidative stress-related status in former athletes in relation to traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze systemic and cellular oxidative stress-related indices as well as C-reactive protein level in former top-level athletes in relation to traditional cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed in 53 former male athletes and 25 sedentary controls (age range: 39-59 years). We measured anthropometric factors (BMI, fat percentage, WHR), resting blood pressure (SBP, DBP), serum cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidized LDL-C (oxLDL), diene conjugates (DC), glutathione redox status, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and leisure-time physical activity.


RESULTS
Physically active former athletes had significantly lower mean overweight (BMI, fat percentage, WHR), better spectrum of atherogenesis indicators (CHOL, HDL-C, TG, TG:HDL-C ratio) and lower oxidative stress (oxLDL, oxLDL:LDL-C ratio, DC) values than sedentary ex-athletes. No significant differences in these variables were found between the sedentary ex-athletes and control group. Significant associations were found between physical activity (METs), SBP, DBP, hypertension, CHOL, HDL-C, TG, TG:HDL-C ratio, oxLDL, oxLDL:LDL-C ratio, DC and hsCRP.


CONCLUSIONS
A physically active lifestyle is related to a lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk profile including a substantially lower systemic and cellular oxidative stress status as well as C-reactive protein level in middle-aged men.
Pihl
E
E
Department of Biochemistry, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, Tartu 50411, Estonia. epihl@ut.ee
Zilmer
K
K
Kullisaar
T
T
Kairane
C
C
Pulges
A
A
Zilmer
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013177:Sports
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002097:C-Reactive Protein