Ardeshir Zafari, Hojatollah Nikbakht, Ali Mohammad Amirtash, Manocher Gharooni
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the number one killer of adults in the Iran. Fibrinogen is a risk factor for CAD, that participation in both the atherogenic and thrombogenic processes. Also playing a role in thrombosis and atherogenesis is Homocysteine, as a risk factor for CAD. Long-term exercise training and physical activity favorably modified several of the conventional CAD risk factors. No such association has been consistently shown between regular physical activity and exercise training with fibrinogen and homocysteine concentrations and the correlations of physical activity and exercises training with fibrinogen and homocysteine were not clear. This study aimed to clarify correlations of physical activity with fibrinogen and homocysteine levels in men. This crosssectional study involved 45 voluntary participants that divided into three groups of 15 each, as follows: active, sedentary, and CAD group. Fasting whole blood samples were collected from the left antecubital vein after 9–12 hours of fasting. The serum concentrations of fibrinogen were measured using the chronometric method. Enzymelinked immune sorbent assay was used to measure the serum concentrations of homocysteine by Biomerio fully automated analyzer. Pearson correlation equations were used assess the relationship between the estimated VO2max with Hcy and Fib levels. The significance of the Pearson correlation coefficients was determined using the Fisher T test. Correlation coefficients were compared using the Fisher Z test. Significant levels for all tests were set at p≤ 0.05. Mean differences of Hcy (p=0.898) and Fib (p=0.630) between groups were not significant. The correlation coefficients between VO2max with serum concentrations of Fib and Hcy were not significant in active, sedentary, CAD and total groups. Therefore, the levels of Hcy and Fib did not alter by regular aerobic physical activity. Hence, more studies are needed to clarify the effects of physical activity and exercise training on homocysteine and fibrinogen levels. More studies are required to clarify the optimal intensity, duration, and type of exercise to favorably modify Hcy and Fib.
