title: Dissociated effects of physical activity and weight loss on fibrinogen concentrations and markers of red blood cell aggregation. Relevance for life style modification in atherothrombosis.
abstract: It has been shown that weight loss and physical activity contribute to a better biorheological profile. Yet, the concentrations of fibrinogen are not always reduced following life style modification. We evaluated the inter-relations between fibrinogen's pro red cell aggregation potential and reduced inflammation and improved lipid profile as anti-aggregating forces in a group of 20 apparently healthy obese volunteers following 4 and 8 months of intensive life modification program which included diet and strenuous physical activity. A significant (p=0.005) weight loss (from a mean+/-SD of 121.4+/-20.9 to 98.0+/-21.3 kg) and decrease in body mass index (from 40.8+/-4.3 to 32.9+/-5.3 kg/m(2), p=0.005) was noted in fourteen individuals who completed the 8-month program. The concentrations of clottable fibrinogen rose from 318+/-96 to 387+/-72 mg/dl (p=0.012) while there was a significant reduction in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (from 19.0+/-12.6 to 10.8+/-7.5 mm/h, p=0.018), triglycerides (from 143+/-80 to 80+/-44 mg/dl, p=0.005), LDL cholesterol (from 128+/-34 to 103+/-17 mg/dl, p=0.005) and total cholesterol (from 211+/-40 to 171+/-17 mg/dl, p=0.007), as well as decrease in insulin concentration (from 36.1+/-21.3 to 20.6+/-8.0 microu/ml, p=0.01) and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-R, from 9.1+/-6.4 to 4.9+/-2.1 glu*ins/405, p=0.008). Despite a significant increment in the concentrations of clottable fibrinogen, a significant reduction was noted in the degree of red cell aggregation as measured by using a slide test and direct visualization of the aggregates. Our conclusion is that the pro-aggregating properties of fibrinogen following intense physical activity are probable counterbalanced by the anti-aggregatory properties of an improved lipid profile and an attenuated acute phase response.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Diet Unit, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Raz
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rogowski
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shapira
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maharshak
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Karni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berliner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D004903:Erythrocyte Aggregation; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity; D019851:Thrombophilia; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002784:Cholesterol