Abstract
Introduction: Previous research indicated that cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic responses are significantly different between cycling and running when performed at the same overall metabolic rate. Although blood coagulation and fibrinolysis have been extensively studied and reviewed, the effect of ergometer-specific exercise modalities on blood coagulation is not known (El-Sayed et al. 2011). Therefore the present study was designed to assess the effect of exercise modes (cycling versus running) at 60% VO2max for 45-in on blood coagulation in non-elite football players. Aim of the study: 1) To ascertain the influence of ergometer-specific on blood coagulation indices in non-elite football players. Methods: Venous blood samples were removed from ten non-elite football players before and immediately after two separate egometer-specific cycling and running test trials performed at 60% VO2max for 45-min. Blood were assayed for lactate, haematocrit (Hct) and haemoglobin (Hb); while citrated plasma was analyzed for prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), factor VIII activity (VIIIa), fibrinogen (Fb), and thrombin antithrombin complexes (TAT). Results and Discussion: Cycling and running exercise induced similar activation of blood coagulation as reflected by a significant (P<0.05) shortening in APTT, and nearly 2.5 fold rise (P<0.05) in VIIIa. Although plasma fibrinogen increased significantly (P<0.05) following exercise trials, no significant interaction was found between exercise modality and plasma fibrinogen responses. In accordance with fibrin formation and activation of blood coagulation, we observed an increase (P<0.05) of TAT which was found in all subjects after the cycling and running test trials. Exercise was not associated with any demonstrable change (P>0.05) in TT or PT. The increase in TAT complexes may suggest that the generated thrombin was inactivated by antithrombin III and therefore did lead to the formation of fibrin. Conclusions: This investigation demonstrates that ergometer-specific exercise trials performed at 60% VO2max for 45-min are associated with similar activation of blood coagulation system and the increase in TAT complexes highlights the importance of antithrombin III in the control of fibrin formation in vivo. References: El-Sayed.MS, Ali N, Omar A. (2011) Clin Hemorh and Microcirculation (in Press).