Exercise prevents cardiometabolic alterations induced by chronic use of glucocorticoids.
BACKGROUND
Chronically, glucocorticoids induce adverse cardiometabolic alterations including insulin resistance, diabetes, dyslipidemia, liver steatosis and arterial hypertension.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of regular practice of aerobic exercise on cardiometabolic alterations induced by chronic administration of dexamethasone (Dex - 0.5 mg/kg/day ip) in rats.


METHODS
Male Wistar rats (n = 24) were divided in four groups: Control group; Trained group; Treated with Dex group and Treated with Dex and trained group. The exercise training (initiated 72 hours after the first dose of Dex) was carried out three times a week until the end of the treatment. At the end of this period, the following biochemical assessments were performed: fasting glycemia, oral glucose tolerance test and analysis of the blood lipid profile that included total cholesterol (TC), LDL-c, HDL-c, VLDL-c and triglycerides (TG). The weight of the gastrocnemius muscle, the histopathological analysis of the liver and cardiometabolic indices (TC/HDL-c, LDL-c/HDL-c and TG/HDL-c) were also performed.


RESULTS
Hyperglycemia, lower glucose tolerance, increased TC, LDL-c, VLDL-c, TG, CT/HDL-c, LDL-c/HDL-c and TG/HDL-c, decreased HDL-c, presence of liver steatosis and muscular hypotrophy were observed in the animals treated with Dex. The exercise training reduced hyperglycemia, improved glucose tolerance, decreased dyslipidemia and prevented liver steatosis, muscular hypotrophy and reduced CT/HDL-c, LDL-c/HDL-c and TG/HDL-c ratios. However, there was no significant effect on HDL-c.


CONCLUSIONS
The aerobic exercise training have a protective effect against the cardiometabolic alterations induced by the chronic use of glucocorticoids.
Pinheiro
Carlos Hermano da Justa
CH
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Fortaleza, Sáo Paulo, SP, Brasil. chjpinheiro@gmail.com
Sousa Filho
Wilson Martins de
WM
Oliveira Neto
Joselito de
Jd
Marinho
Maria de Jesus Ferreira
Mde J
Motta Neto
Renato
R
Smith
Manuela Maria Ramos Lima
MM
Silva
Carlos Antônio Bruno da
CA
D000818:Animals; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000379:methods; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone