LAUSR

Objective: To evaluate the effects of exercise training on circulating blood markers of endothelial function: nitric oxide (NOx), Advanced Oxidation Protein Products (AOPP) and Xanthine Oxidase (XO) in hypertensive patients (pts) with metabolic syndrome. Design and method: 80 male hypertensive pts after myocardial infarction were studied. At baseline and after 3 weeks in all pts values of NOx, AOPP and XO were determined and exercise test was performed. After the initial study, pts were randomized to group with metabolic syndrome (MetS group, n = 40) and group without metabolic syndrome (no- MetS group, n = 40). All pts underwent a supervised 3 weeks aerobic exercise training at residential center. Results: Baseline value of NOx was lower (P = 0.018), and values of AOPP and XO were higher (ns for both) in MetS than in no- MetS group. After 3 weeks values of NOx increased in both groups: in MetS group from 39.09 ± 14.34 to 44.13 ± 13. 57 &mgr;mol/l (P = 0.025) and in no- MetS group from 47.11 ± 15.32 to 51.81 ± 16.48 &mgr;mol/l (P = 0.018), with mean difference higher in MetS than in no- MetS group 5.03 ± 13.71 vs 4.71 ± 12.01, ns. Compared to the baseline, value of XO at the end of the study was significantly lower in both groups (P < 0.0005, both) with mean difference higher in MetS than in no- MetS group (103.67 ± 27.57 vs 99.36 ± 28.11, ns) and with lower second value in MetS than in no- MetS group (P = 0.46).Value of AOPP significantly decreased in both groups (MetS group, P < 0.009; no- MetS group P = 0.002). After 3 weeks level (METs) and duration of exercise test significantly increased in both groups (P < 0.0005) with slightly higher mean increase of duration in MetS than in no- MetS group (ns). Conclusions: Regular residential exercise training induced improvement in endothelial function in hypertensive pts expressed through significant increase of NOx and decrease of XO and AOPP. Higher increase in NOx and reduction in XO in MetS than in no- MetS pts suggests that exercise training induces more pronounced benefit in pts with than in pts without metabolic syndrome.