gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Today it is known that obesity and lack of a proper level of physical fitness is associated with many disabling diseases such as diabetes mellitus and coronary arteries disease. Adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ releasing a large number of cytokines and bioactive mediators, is responsible for the chronic inflammatory state of visceral obesity. Visfatin, a novel adipokine with insulin mimetic properties, has recently been described by Fukuhara, et al (2005). Higher plasma visfatin levels in obese and diabetic subjects in comparison to normal weight and healthy people may determine the probable link between visfatin concentrations and obesity and its accompanied metabolic disease and atherosclerosis. Chronic inflammation, the pathogenic feature of atherosclerosis; activating endothelial, stimulates pre-inflammatory proteins synthesis like chemokines and resulted in cell adhesion molecules expression enhancement. Intercellular adhesion molecule- 1 (ICAM-1), a member of immunoglobulin supergene family, is the key step for leukocyte infiltration in inflammatory injury. Epidemiological studies have shown that soluble ICAM-1 is a predictor of cardiovascular disease. Whilst physical activity and exercise can ameliorate inflammation, daily exercise training is recommended to lower the incidence of CVD and metabolic syndrome. Most of the studies make more intense to investigate the effects of endurance exercise on inflammatory markers and visfatin. Lee K J et al (2010) has reported the reduction of plasma level of visfatin following 12 weeks aerobic training [1]. Teresa M Becki et al (2010) has shown 12 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation program significantly decreased sICAM-1 level of plasma [2]. Olson, et al (2007) has demonstrated that one year of resistance training in obese women declined plasma sICAM-1 level [3]. However, to our knowledge none of the studies has investigated the influence of resistance training on plasma visfatin levels. Thereby according to recent public health guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine advocating that regular physical activity, including aerobic and resistance exercise, is essential for healthy aging; and our limited contrary information about endurance and resistance training on visfatin and ICAM-1 concentrations, this study has investigated the influence of swimming endurance and resistance training on plasma levels of visfatin, ICAM-1, lipid and metabolic profile in sedentary post menopausal obese women.

Material/Methods: Participants included 33 (11 control, 11 resistance and 11 endurance training) sedentary post menopausal obese (BMI≥30 kg/m2) women, studied before and after 10 weeks of resistive (3 days/week at 40-60% of 1RM) and swimming endurance training (3 days/week at 50-60% of HRmax). Serum levels of visfatin and sICAM-1, lipid profile, HOMA-IR and anthropometric indices were measured before and 48 hours after the last training session. Statistical analysis was done by ANOVA, paired t-test and Pearson correlation and P value<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the training and control groups for visfatin (P=0.002), sICAM-1(P=0.042) levels. Although visfatin concentration, lipid and metabolic profile and anthropometric indices did not significantly change following 10 weeks of resistance training (P>0.05), plasma sICAM-1 level (P=0.012) decreased significantly. Endurance training caused significant decrease in all blood factors and anthropometric indices measured (P<0.05). Hence significant correlation existed between post training levels of sICAM-1 and WHR (R=0.367,P=0.048) and waist circumference (R=0.394,P=0.041); and changed visftain levels significantly correlated with pelvic circumference (R=–0.366,P=0.040).

Conclusion: This is one of the first studies investigating the effects of swimming endurance and resistance training on visfatin and ICAM-1 levels in sedentary post menopausal obese women. Our finding is in line with that of Shang Jing, et al (2008) has shown significant decline in visfatin level, lipid profile and insulin sensitivity improvement following 8 weeks of swimming in obese mice’s [4]. So it can be proposed that amelioration of lipid profile and HOMA-IR is responsible for visfatin decrease after 10 weeks endurance training. Mohammadi, et al (2010) has found significant decrease in visfatin level and body fat percent following 8 weeks of endurance training [5]. According to the findings of Michael J Puglisi, et al (2008) and Ziccardi et al (2002), Decrease in sICAM-1 level may be associated with the beneficial effect of exercise on body composition or/and lipid profile. However further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for the effects of 10 weeks resistance training on serum levels of visfatin and ICAM-1.