Effect of Exercise Training on Interleukin-6, Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha and Functional Capacity in Heart Failure

Abstract EN

Background.

We pooled data from four studies, to establish whether exercise training programs were able to modulate systemic cytokine levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).

A second aim was to establish if differences in ExT regimens are related to degree of change in cytokines and peak VO2.

Methods.

Data from four centres relating to training protocol, exercise capacity, and cytokine measures (TNF-alpha and IL-6) were pooled for analysis.

Results.

Data for 106 CHF patients were collated (98 men, age 62 ± 10 yrs, wt 79 ± 14 Kg).

Patients were moderately impaired (peak VO2 16.9 ± 4.4 mls/kg/min), with moderate LV systolic dysfunction (EF 30 ± 6.9%), 78% (83) had ischaemic cardiomyopathy.

After ExT, peak VO2 increased 1.4 ± 3.4 ml/kg/min (P<.001), serum TNF-alpha decreased 1.9 ± 8.6 pg/ml (P=.02) and IL-6 was not significantly changed (0.5 ± 5.4 pg/ml, P=.32) for the whole group.

Baseline and post-training peak VO2 changes were not correlated with change in cytokine levels.

Conclusions.

Exercise training reduces levels TNF-alpha but not IL-6 in CHF.

However, across a heterogenic patient group, change in peak VO2 was not correlated with alterations in cytokine levels.

While greater exercise volume (hours) was superior in improving peak VO2, no particular characteristic of ExT regimes appeared superior in effecting change in serum cytokines.