Integra

Introduction

This study is to explore the changes of plasma endothelin (ET) and cardiopulmonary function in endurance athletes after exhausting exercise. The correlation of cardio endocrine and cardiopulmonary function was also studied after exercise training.

Methods

The levels of ET in 11 endurance athletes (endurance training group) and 11 average students (control group) were determined by radioimmunoassay under progressively increased load until exhausting exercise. The statistical analysis used EXCEL software. Values are presented as means±SE.

Results

The level of plasma ET in endurance training group was obviously higher than that in control group at the rest (P<0.001). The concentration of the plasma ET was increased significantly in both groups, and the increments of the ET in endurance training group were significantly higher than that in control group after exhausting exercise. The VO2 max, V’e and O2pulse in endurance training group were significantly higher than that in control group after exhausting exercise (P<0.05). EqO2 at VO2 max in endurance training group was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05). HR in endurance training group before and after exercise was significantly lower than that in control group(P<0.05). The increment of the concentration of the plasma ET after exercise was significantly positively correlated with the change in VO2max and O2pulse(r=0.38, P<0.05, and r=0.40, P<0.05), but significantly negatively correlated with the change in HR and EqO2 after exercise(r=-0.48, P<0.05, and r=-0.47, P<0.05).

Discussion / Conclusions

Endurance training probaly result in the increments of the level of plasma ET in human both at rest and after exhausting exercise. And the increment of the ET in the well-trained endurance runners was significantly more than that in the average students after exhausting exercise. The changes of the plasma ET related significantly to cardiopulmonary function. The authors think that those changes might be associated with myocardial positive inotropic action of ET and changes of adaptability of cardio endocrine after endurance training.

References

  1. Merkus D, et al. (2003). Cardiovasc Res. 59(3):745-54.
  2. Tanzilli G, et al. (2003). Ital Heart J.4(2):107-12.
  3. Bowles,D.K., et al (1995). J.Appl.Physiol. 78(3):1079-1087