Yoo-Chan Kwon

Effects of intermittent exercise on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in night shift workers

OBJECTIVE Cathepsin L (CatL), cathepsin S (CatS), and arteriosclerosis adhesion molecules such as monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) are potent elastases implicated in human arterial wall remodeling. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of intermittent exercise on the plasma concentrations of these cathepsins and arteriosclerosis adhesion molecules in night shift workers. METHODS Thirty male participants who were night shift workers (experimental group, n = 15; control group, n = 15) were included in this study. The experimental group performed an intermittent exercise at 10-min bouts (30 min per day), three days a week during 10 weeks. Body composition, blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured. RESULTS After intermittent exercise, significant group time interactions for body weight (p < .01) and body fat percentage (p < .01) were found. With regard to cardiovascular disease risk factors, group time interactions for CatL (p < .01), CatS (p < .01), MCP-1 (p < .05), sE-selectin (p < .01), and sVCAM-1 (p < .01) were significant. CONCLUSIONS This study provides preliminary evidence to suggest that intermittent exercise may represent an effective intervention strategy for preventing atherosclerosis, thus leading to improved cardiovascular health in night shift workers.

Effects of 24-Week Aerobic and Resistance Training on Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness and Flow Velocity in Elderly Women with Sarcopenic Obesity

Aim: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is closely associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in elderly women. Increases in body fat and decreases in muscle mass are closely associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). The aim of this study was to examine the influence of a 24-week aerobic and resistance training program on carotid parameters in SO. Methods: Fifty elderly women (74.1 ± 6.1 years) with SO were randomly divided into an exercise group and a control group. The exercise group performed combined exercise over 24 weeks, consisting of resistance and aerobic training for 50–80 min, 5 times a week. Carotid variables were measured using B-mode ultrasound. The differences in the carotid variables and the relative changes between baseline and after 24 weeks were evaluated. Results: In the analysis of variance (ANOVA) results, CIMT (p = 0.013), systolic flow velocity (p = 0.007), diastolic flow velocity (p = 0.006), and wall shear rate (p = 0.010) showed significant interactions. In paired t-test results of the exercise group, CIMT significantly decreased (p < 0.01) and systolic flow velocity (p < 0.01), diastolic flow velocity (p < 0.001), and wall shear rate (p < 0.05) significantly increased after 24 weeks. Conclusion: The 24-week combined exercise effectively decreased CIMT and increased carotid flow velocity and wall shear ratio. Therefore, combined exercise is thought to contribute to the improvement of the risk of CVD in elderly women with SO.