Tag: intermittent exercise

Graded versus Intermittent Exercise Effects on Lymphocytes in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Abstract:

PURPOSE: There is increasing evidence of immune system dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), but little is known of the regular exercise effects on immune cell parameters. This pilot study investigated the effects of graded and intermittent exercise on CD4 lymphocyte subset counts and activation compared with usual care.

METHODS: Twenty-four CFS patients (50.2 ± 10 yr) were randomized to graded exercise (GE), intermittent exercise (IE), or usual care (UC) groups; 18 sedentary non-CFS participants (50.6 ± 10 yr) were controls (CTL) for blood and immunological comparisons. Outcome measures were pre- and postintervention flow cytometric analyses of circulating lymphocyte subset cell counts; expression of CD3, CD4, CD25, and CD134; full blood counts; and V˙O2peak.

RESULTS: Preintervention, CD3 cell counts, and expression of CD4, CD25, CD134, and CD4CD25CD134 were significantly lower in GE, IE, and UC compared with CTL (P < 0.05). Total lymphocyte concentration was significantly lower in GE and IE groups compared with CTL. There were significant postintervention increases in i) expression of CD4 and CD4CD25CD134 for GE and IE, but CD25 and CD134 for IE only; ii) circulating counts of CD3 and CD4 for GE, and CD3, CD4, CD8, CD3CD4CD8, CD3CD16CD56, CD19, and CD45 for IE; iii) neutrophil concentration for GE; and iv) V˙O2peak and elapsed test time for IE and GE, V˙Epeak for IE.

CONCLUSIONS: Twelve weeks of GE and IE training significantly improved CD4 lymphocyte activation and aerobic capacity without exacerbating CFS symptoms. IE may be a more effective exercise modality with regard to enhanced CD4 activation in CFS patients.

 

Source: Broadbent S, Coutts R. Graded versus Intermittent Exercise Effects on Lymphocytes in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016 Sep;48(9):1655-63. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000957. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27116645

 

Acute effects of thirty minutes of light-intensity, intermittent exercise on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Currently, there is no consensus on exercise prescription for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). This investigation examined whether light-intensity, intermittent physical activity exacerbated symptoms in patients with CFS immediately following exercise to 7 days following exercise. Subjects. Subjects were 9 women (mean age=44.2 years, SD=8.4, range=29-56; mean weight=74.2 kg, SD=18.8, range=56.36-110.91; and mean height=1.63 m, SD=0.8, range=1.55-1.78) and 1 man (age=48 years, weight=97.1 kg, and height= 1.98 m) who met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s criteria fi)r (FS.

METHODS: Subjects performed 10 discontinuous 3-minute exercise bouts (separated by 3 minutes of recovery) at a self-selected, comfortable walking pace on a treadmill. Oxygen consumption, minute ventilation, respiratory exchange ratio, and heart rate were measured every minute during the exercise session. To assess degree of disability, general health status, activity level, symptoms, and mood, subjects completed various questionnaires before and after exercise.

RESULTS: Results indicated that degree of disability, general health status, symptoms, and mood did not change immediately and up to 7 days following exercise.

CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: Thirty minutes of intermittent walking did not exacerbate symptoms in subjects with CFS. The physiological data did not show any abnormal response to exercise. Although this study did not determine whether 30 minutes of continuous versus intermittent exercise would exacerbate symptoms, all 10 subjects felt that they could not exercise continuously for 30 minutes without experiencing symptom exacerbation. Despite this limitation, the results indicate that some individuals with CFS may be able to use low-level, intermittent exercise without exacerbating their symptoms.

Comment in: Benefits of exercise therapy. [Phys Ther. 2000]

 

Source: Clapp LL, Richardson MT, Smith JF, Wang M, Clapp AJ, Pieroni RE. Acute effects of thirty minutes of light-intensity, intermittent exercise on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Phys Ther. 1999 Aug;79(8):749-56. http://ptjournal.apta.org/content/79/8/749.long (Full article)