Endurance exercise and the production of growth hormone and haematopoietic factors in patients with anaemia.
BACKGROUND
Physical activity has been shown to stimulate haematopoiesis in patients with anaemia due to chronic renal failure or haematological malignancies.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of moderate exercise on the production of haematopoietically active factors.


METHODS
Ten patients (four men and six women, mean (SD) age 51 (10) years) with a haemoglobin concentration under 130 g/l (men) or 120 g/l (women) carried out five three minute exercise bouts at an intensity of 80% of the maximal heart rate, corresponding to a lactate concentration of 3 (0.5) mmol/l. Patients rested for three minutes between bouts. The concentrations of interleukin 6, stem cell factor, granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, erythropoietin, and growth hormone (GH) were evaluated before and in the eight hours after exercise.


RESULTS
GH had risen significantly 15 minutes after exercise (1.1 (1.3) v 2.7 (2.8) ng/ml; p<0.05). No change in the concentration of the other cytokines and growth factors was observed in the eight hours after exercise.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with anaemia, submaximal exercise does not affect the concentration of haematopoietically active cytokines. However, it leads to an increased concentration of GH. This may be responsible for the improved haematopoiesis observed after an exercise programme in patients with chronic diseases.
Dimeo
F
F
Department of Haematology, Oncology and Transfusion Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany. fernando.dimeo@charite.de
Knauf
W
W
Geilhaupt
D
D
Böning
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010807:Physical Endurance
D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D019382:Human Growth Hormone