title: Cardiac rehabilitation improves the blood plasma properties of cardiac patients.
abstract: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves exercise tolerance and general function. However, its effects on blood plasma in cardiac patients remain uncertain. Our aim was to examine the effect of comprehensive CR on the oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant plasma status in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) after cardiac interventions. Exercise-based rehabilitation was established as ergometer training, adjusted for individual patients' physical efficiency. Training was repeated three times a week for two months. The standard biochemical (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and metabolic parameters (peak oxygen uptake [VO2] and peak workload) were determined. We assessed plasma viscosity, lipid peroxidation, carbonyl compounds levels, glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (ASC) levels and the non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity of plasma in 12 patients with CAD before and after CR. Parameters were examined before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 1 h later. We also compared morphological and biochemical parameters of blood, as well as other parameters such as heart rate and blood pressure (resting and exercise), VO2max and peak workload (W) before and after CR. Before CR, a significant decrease in GSH concentration was observed 1 h after exercise. Conversely, after CR, GSH, and ASC levels remained unchanged immediately after exercise. However, ASC increased after CR after exercise and 1 h later in comparison to before CR. There was a significant increase in ferric reduction ability of plasma immediately after exercise after CR, when compared with before CR. CR improved several blood biochemical parameters, peak VO2, induced an increase in systolic blood pressure peak, and patients' peak workload. After CR, improvements were detected in oxidative stress parameters, except in the level of carbonyls. These changes may contribute to the increased functional heart capacity and better tolerance to exercise and functional capacity of the patients. These improvements could indicate better prognosis of future cardiac events and hospitalization and better quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland kgwozdz@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gwoździński
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pieniążek
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Czepas
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brzeszczyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Sports Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, 92-213 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jegier
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiac Rehabilitation, Medical University of Lodz, 90-647 Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Lucjan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pawlicki
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001809:Blood Viscosity; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010545:Peroxides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001798:Blood Proteins; D010545:Peroxides; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Cardiac rehabilitation; blood plasma; cardiac intervention; exercise training; oxidative stress