COAGULATION AND THROMBOMODULIN IN RESPONSE TO EXERCISE OF DIFFERENT TYPE AND DURATION

Purpose: The present study was conducted to evaluate the role of the d uration of exercise and the impact of the exercise type for exercise-i nduced activation of coagulation. Methods: Eleven male triathletes wer e subjected to stepwise maximal (17 min) and 1-h maximal exercise in s wimming, cycling, and running. Changes of hemostatic variables and of plasma thrombomodulin, a marker of endothelial cell activation, were m onitored. Results: Irrespective of the type of exercise, alterations i n markers of thrombin (prothrombin fragment 1 + 2, thrombin-antithromb in III complexes) and fibrin formation (fibrinopeptide A) were more pr onounced after 1-h exercise than after stepwise maximal exercise. Hemo static parameters rose to the highest levels after running resulting i n substantial fibrin formation as indicated by fibrinopeptide A increa sing from 1.33 ng . mL(-1) to 2.25 ng . mL(-1) (P < 0.05) after 1-h ex ercise testing. Significant changes of plasma thrombomodulin were dete cted exclusively after running with increases from 38.2 ng . mL(-1) to 44.2 ng . mL(-1) (1 h, P < 0.01). Conclusions: The data demonstrated that prolonged exercise is necessary for exercise-induced activation o f coagulation resulting in thrombin and fibrin formation and suggested that endothelial cell activation possibly due to mechanical factors a ssociated with running might pray a role.