ECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH33
INTRODUCTION: Chronic low-grade inflammation is a pathogenic mechanism underlying many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cancer [1]. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an important indicator reflecting systemic inflammation levels [2]. Previous studies have shown that Physical Activity(PA) helps reduce CRP levels, but most research has focused on younger adults, with relatively few studies specifically targeting middle-aged and elderly individuals [3]. Moreover, middle-aged and elderly people are more susceptible to chronic inflammation [4]. Therefore, exploring the association between PA and inflammation levels in the middle-aged and elderly population is necessary. METHODS: We used data from the third wave (2013) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) to test our hypotheses. Specifically, a total of 6,279 middle-aged and elderly individuals aged 45 years and above participated in this study, representing a weighted sample of 261,532,239 middle-aged and elderly people in China. According to the WHO physical activity guidelines, we defined individuals with weekly PA expenditure of <600 MET-minutes as not meeting the standard, and those with ≥600 MET-minutes as meeting the standard. Furthermore, to verify whether inflammation levels continuously decrease with increasing PA levels, we divided physical activity expenditure into quartiles. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the association between PA and CRP levels; all analyses were adjusted for age, gender, education level, marital status, per capita household expenditure(PCE), smoking, alcohol consumption, and sleep duration. RESULTS: After adjusting for age, gender, education level, marital status, PCE, sleep duration, alcohol consumption, and smoking, compared to individuals not meeting the guidelines, those meeting the guidelines had a significantly lower C-reactive protein level by an average of 0.772 mg/L (β = -0.772, 95% CI: -1.226 to -0.318, p < 0.001). Compared to the first quartile of PA, the CRP concentration in the second quartile decreased by an average of 0.366 mg/L (β = -0.366, 95% CI: -0.843 to 0.112, p = 0.134). In the third quartile, CRP concentration decreased by an average of 0.429 mg/L (β = -0.429, 95% CI: -0.915 to 0.057, p = 0.083). In the fourth quartile, CRP concentration significantly decreased by 0.731 mg/L (β = -0.731, 95% CI: -1.226 to -0.236, p = 0.004). These findings suggest a trend of decreasing CRP levels with increasing PA. CONCLUSION: Our study results indicate that adequate physical activity can reduce systemic inflammation levels among middle-aged and elderly individuals in China, and as physical activity levels increase, inflammation levels further decrease. In the future, more policies and measures should be implemented to promote physical activity participation among the middle-aged and elderly population to maintain lower inflammation levels.
Read CV Huang YongyuECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH33
INTRODUCTION: Extreme physical exertion, such as ultramarathons, places considerable physiological demands on the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Biomarkers like high-sensitivity Troponin I (hs-TnI), NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), creatine kinase-MB (CKMB), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble ST2 (sST2) offer insights into myocardial stress, systemic inflammation, and skeletal muscle damage. This study assessed these biomarkers in athletes completing a 330 km mountain ultramarathon with a 24,000 m elevation gain to differentiate physiological adaptation from pathological risks. METHODS: Blood samples were collected from 48 participants at three time points: pre-, mid- (148 km), and post- (330 km) race. Biomarker levels were measured using MAGLUMI X3 (Snibe®) and Alinity immunoassay systems (Abbott®). Pre-concentrations were compared with mid- and post- to evaluate the impact of extreme exertion. RESULTS: All biomarkers showed significant increases during the race. hs-TnI levels rose from <5 ng/L at pre- to peaks of 12 ng/L at post-, indicating mild, transient myocardial strain without permanent damage. NT-proBNP increased from 50 pg/mL at pre- to >600 pg/mL at post-, reflecting acute cardiac volume overload. Inflammatory markers showed marked responses: hs-CRP levels increased from <1 mg/L at baseline to 30 mg/L at post-, while IL-6 increased to >200 pg/mL at mid- and remained elevated at post-, indicating early systemic inflammation. sST2 showed notable elevations, with baseline levels (~30 ng/mL) close to thresholds indicating subclinical cardiac stress, rising to >100 ng/mL at post-, suggesting baseline myocardial stress exacerbated by exercise. CK levels rose to 5,000 U/L at post-, indicating acute severe skeletal muscle damage, while CKMB peaked at 60 U/L, requiring careful contextual analysis. CONCLUSION: Extreme endurance events cause substantial physiological stress, as reflected in biomarker fluctuations. The alarming baseline and peak levels of sST2 highlight its utility in detecting early cardiac strain. Tailored monitoring and recovery strategies are vital to safeguarding the long-term health of athletes exposed to such challenges. Additionally, the significant rise in IL-6 and hs-CRP underscores the pronounced inflammatory response induced by extreme exertion, which may contribute to prolonged recovery and systemic stress.
Read CV Caroline Le GoffECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH33
INTRODUCTION: Chronotype, or diurnal preference, spans from morning (M-type) to evening (E-type). It can be subjectively or objectively measured [1], and can be state- or trait-like [2]. E-types are linked to unhealthy lifestyles, such as irregular meals and lower physical activity (PA) [3], increasing their risk of low-grade inflammatory issues like cardiometabolic diseases [4]. Potential sex differences exist in chronotype and cardiometabolic risks [5]. This study examined differences in moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA), sex, and the chronotype-inflammation relationship in adults. METHODS: Fifty-one healthy adults [19 male (M), 33 female (F); 18-41 years] wore a triaxial accelerometer for 8 days/nights to assess MVPA and chronotype via sleep midpoint. Fasted blood samples and anthropometric data were collected. Total and differential leukocyte counts were analysed. Monocyte subsets were identified via flow cytometry. Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and LPS-stimulated IL-6 levels were measured using ELISA. T-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests assessed MVPA differences between chronotypes, and sex differences in inflammatory markers. Generalised linear models evaluated chronotype-inflammatory markers associations, further adjusted for age. Effect sizes were calculated, and data presented as mean±SD or median (IQR). P<.05 indicate significance. RESULTS: M-types were ~3 years older than E-types [26 (23-33) years vs. 23 (21-26) years; p=.010, ES=.43]. No MVPA-differences were noted between chronotypes (p=.604, ES=.15). LPS-stimulated IL-6 levels were ~6x higher in M than F (p=.032, ES=.39). M-type M had lower classical monocyte counts than E-type M [296.4±81.3 vs. 355.6±130.1 cells/µL; p=.024]. M-types showed lower plasma IL-6 [0.58 (0.42-0.75) vs. 0.89 (0.57-1.38) pg/mL; p=.034], lymphocyte [1.59 (1.40-1.77) vs. 1.87 (1.71-2.04) ×10⁹/L; p=.020], and monocyte counts [0.37 (0.32-0.41) vs. 0.45 (0.40-0.50) ×10⁹/L; p=.017] compared with E-types, but these differences became nonsignificant after age adjustment. CONCLUSION: This study found no differences in MVPA between chronotypes. LPS-stimulated IL-6 levels were higher in M compared to F. M-types initially showed a more favourable inflammatory profile than E-types; however, this difference was not observed after adjusting for age, suggesting that age may be a major factor influencing chronic inflammation in young to middle-aged adults. REFERENCES: 1. Montaruli A, et al. Biomolecules. 2021;11(4) 2. Facer-Childs ER, Boiling S, Balanos GM. Sports Med Open. 2018;4(1):47 3. Sempere-Rubio N, et al. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(15):9646 4. Partonen T, Current Sleep Medicine Reports. 2015;1:205-11 5. Fárková E, et al. Biological Rhythm Research. 2021;52(8):1205-16
Read CV Mayada DemashkiehECSS Paris 2023: OP-MH33