The Inflammatory Responses of Runners During and After 7-day Ultra-Marathon in Athens

• Main Authors: Wen-Yu Chan, 詹文瑜
• Other Authors: Jin-Jong Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/d7nkd9

碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 物理治療暨輔助科技學系 === 97 === Background: Strenuous exercise induces tissue damages by neutrophil-triggered oxidative stress may boost reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increase incidence of upper respiratory tract infection (URI). Endogenous antioxidants in immune cells protect subjects from damages of ROS. Studies have shown the changes of immune function, oxidative damages and enzymatic antioxidants after excessive exercises, but none of researches have been discussed about the 7-day ultra-marathon. Purposes: To evaluate changes of the immune system and related endogenous antioxidant enzymes of athletes during and after 7-day ultra-marathon. Methods: Nine healthy athletes (5 males and 4 females, age 52.4±2.5 yr; means±SEM) who participated in 7-day race of the 2008 Athens ultra-marathon festival. Blood samples were collected before, during and after the competition. The contents of total white blood cell (WBC) and leukocyte subpopulation, neutrophil functions of oxidative burst and degranulation, and concentrations of plasma cortisol, glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) were measured. The running distances were recorded every day during the competition. Results: (1) Comparing to pre-race, total WBC counts, lymphocyte counts, monocyte counts, total or per neutrophil oxidative burst, plasma CAT activity significantly decreased (P<0.05) during the race. Contrarily, neutrophil counts, total or per neutrophil elastase release, and the concentration of plasma cortisol and TBARS significantly increased (P<0.05). The similar results were also discovered in the comparison of the overall value of 7-day competition (P<0.05); (2) Comparing to post-race, total WBC counts, neutrophil counts, lymphocyte counts, monocyte counts, total neutrophil oxidative burst, elastase release per neutrophil, plasma CAT activity and the concentration of plasma cortisol and TBARS did not recover within 72 hours (P<0.05), while oxidative burst per neutrophil and total elastase release did recover in 24 hours (P<0.05); (3) Plasma SODs, GPx activity and glucose level were unchanged during the competition. Conclusions: The main findings of this study were (1) Leukopenia seemed to associate with remarkably decreased numbers of lymphocytes and monocytes during and after the race; (2) Either total or per cell of neutrophil degranulation in exercise might be less regulated by glucocorticoid but correlating positively with TBARS, represented as acute inflammatory response with neutrophilia, and the generation of oxidative stress; (3) “Open window effects” may be triggered in the first day of the race and last over 72 hour after the race; (4) The lowest CAT activity during and after the race indicated that it is a much more sensitive index of oxidative stress responses than SODs and GPX; (5) Antioxidant enzymes had an initial increase by oxidative stress and a later decrease by cumulative damage from prolong exercise. Therefore, the results of this study revealed that the interaction of immune and enzymatic antioxidant system might increase the risk of infection after prolonged exercise in athletes.