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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2010 Apr;42(4):708-16.
doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181c03a43.

Exercise without weight loss does not reduce C-reactive protein: the INFLAME study

Timothy S Church  1 , Conrad P Earnest, Angela M Thompson, Elisa L Priest, Ruben Q Rodarte, Travis Saunders, Robert Ross, Steven N Blair
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Exercise without weight loss does not reduce C-reactive protein: the INFLAME study

Timothy S Church et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Apr.

Abstract

Purpose: Numerous cross-sectional studies have observed an inverse association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and physical activity. Exercise training trials have produced conflicting results, but none of these studies was specifically designed to examine CRP. The objective of the Inflammation and Exercise (INFLAME) study was to examine whether aerobic exercise training without dietary intervention can reduce CRP in individuals with elevated CRP.

Methods: The study was a randomized controlled trial of 162 sedentary men and women with elevated CRP (> or = 2.0 mg·L(-1)). Participants were randomized into a nonexercise control group or an exercise group that trained for 4 months. The primary outcome was change in CRP.

Results: The study participants had a mean (SD) age of 49.7 (10.9) yr and a mean body mass index of 31.8 (4.0) kg·m(-2). The median (interquartile range (IQR)) and mean baseline CRP levels were 4.1 (2.5-6.1) and 4.8 (3.4) mg·L(-1), respectively. In the exercise group, median exercise compliance was 99.9%. There were no differences in median (IQR) change in CRP between the control and exercise groups (0.0 (-0.5 to 0.9) vs 0.0 (-0.8 to 0.7) mg·L(-1), P = 0.4). The mean (95% confidence interval) change in CRP adjusted for gender and baseline weight was similar in the control and exercise groups, with no significant difference between groups (0.5 (-0.4 to 1.3) vs 0.4 (-0.5 to 1.2) mg·L(-1), P = 0.9). Change in weight was correlated with change in CRP.

Conclusions: Exercise training without weight loss is not associated with a reduction in CRP.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00113061.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow of participants through THE INFLAME trial.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of change in C-reactive protein for each study group
Figure 3
Figure 3
Change in C-reactive protein for each study group. The data represent the the least-squares means adjusted for gender and baseline weight. The left set of data represents all participants with baseline values carried forward for participants without follow-up values. The middle set of data represents only participants with follow-up data and the far right set of data represents participants with follow-up data with the outliers removed (baseline or follow-up CRP ≥14.9 mg/L). Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Change in C-reactive protein for control group (open diamond), and the exercise group with categorization by thirds of change weight and DEXA body fat (closed diamonds). The data represent the least-squares means. Error bars indicate 95% confidence intervals. * P < 0.05 versus all other groups including the control group
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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