title: The effect of short-term cardiac rehabilitation after acute myocardial infarction on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is an important biomarker of risk for coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality. We investigated the influence of short-term cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on values of hsCRP and classical risk factors, including metabolic syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  hsCRP and classical risk factors were measured before and after completed 2-week CR program in 30 men after AMI. The comparison group comprised 30 age-balanced healthy men, with no risk factors for coronary heart disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, in comparison to healthy individuals, patients had higher values of hsCRP; furthermore, smokers had significantly higher hsCRP values than nonsmokers. Patients had more expressed markers of metabolic syndrome and due to pharmacological therapy lower blood pressure, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). After CR was completed, a significant drop in hsCRP (P=0.006) and improvement of metabolic syndrome parameters (lower body mass index, blood pressure, LDL-C, triglycerides) was observed in nonsmokers, whereas no such changes occurred in smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study revealed that hsCRP and metabolic syndrome parameters can be substantially reduced by a 2-week CR program; however, this effect is present only in nonsmokers. Thus, all patients entering the CR program after AMI should be advised to quit smoking before entering the program to achieve optimal benefits.
authors.affiliation: 1 Clinic of Pulmonary Diseases and Allergy and Clinic of Preventive Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Ljubljana , Ljubljana, Slovenia .
authors.forename: Polona
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mlakar
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Salobir
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cobo
authors.forename: Borut
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jug
authors.forename: Marjeta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terčelj
authors.forename: Mišo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabovič
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011182:Postoperative Care; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein