Effects of six-week cardiac rehabilitation and exercise on adiponectin in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Abstract

Background: Increased adiponectin is a result of an anti-arteriosclerotic effect and is related to the prevention of arteriosclerosis. However, it is uncertain whether cardiac rehabilitation and exercise (CRE) increase adiponectin in patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Aim: To assess the effects of CRE intervention on adiponectin in patients after ACS.

Methods: Forty four patients participated in a cardiac rehabilitation programme after receiving percutaneous coronary intervention. The participants were divided into either an intervention (CRE) or a control (CON) group. Assessments were made at baseline and six weeks after the intervention for adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-a); high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and exercise duration.

Results: After six weeks of exercise training, adiponectin significantly increased in both CRE and CON (p < 0.001 and p = 0.009, respectively). Adiponectin showed a significantly greater increase in CRE than in CON (p = 0.032). Significant differences were not observed in IL-6, TNF-a, and hs-CRP between the groups. However, VO(2max) and exercise duration significantly increased in CRE (p < 0.001). Significant increases in VO(2max) and exercise duration were also observed in CRE but not in CON (p < 0.001). WHR significantly decreased in CRE, with no significant change in CON (p < 0.05). The difference in adiponectin between the groups showed a significantly inverse relationship with the difference in WHR (R² = -0.376, p = 0.034).

Conclusions: Adiponectin and cardiopulmonary fitness were significantly increased in CRE after six weeks of intervention. Although reductions in inflammatory markers were not observed, a significant inverse correlation was observed between the changes in adiponectin and WHR in CRE. Therefore, six weeks of short-term CRE intervention had a significant anti-inflammatory effect.