Exercise in sickle cell anemia: Effect on inflammatory and vasoactive mediators

The aim of this study was to determine the response of inflammatory and vas oactive mediators to 3 consecutive days of exercise in African-American wom en with and without sickle cell anemia (SCA). Circulating inflammatory medi ators [C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis facto r alpha (TNF alpha)] were measured before, and vasoactive mediators [endoth elin-1 (ET-1), nitric oxide metabolites (NOx)] before and after each exerci se bout in ten subjects with SCA and ten controls. Exercise did not affect ET-1, IL-6 or CRP concentrations (p > .05). TNF alpha was higher in SCA tha n controls (p less than or equal to .0005) at all times; however, the respo nse pattern was similar for the groups: no change from day I to day 2, but a decrease from day 2 to day 3 (p less than or equal to .05). NOx increased significantly after exercise (p less than or equal to .0001) but returned to baseline by 24 h afterward. On the 3(rd) day, NOx increased after exerci se in SCA but not in the controls (p less than or equal to .05). In conclus ion, exercise did not cause a harmful inflammatory response in these indivi duals with SCA. However, NOx increased after exercise on all 3 days in SCA but appeared attenuated after 2 days in controls.