EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON PLASMA ADRENOMEDULLIN CONCENTRATION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH NITRIC OXIDE IN ATHLETES

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether regular physical activity or acute exercise influenced plasma adrenomedullin (AM) concentration and whether it was related to gender, blood pressure and nitric oxide (NO) production. Material and Methods: Sixty healthy students participated in this study. They were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 30 students, 16 female, 14 male athletes carrying out regular exercise. The second group was made up of 15 females, 15 males nonathletes. All students submitted to a cycle exercise test until volitional exhaustion. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) were measured continously. Before starting, at the 1st min and at the 30th min of exercise, venous blood samples were taken to determine AM and NO production. Results: AM in the female and male athletes were significantly higher than in the female and male non-athletes. The plasma AM concentration in female athletes was found be significantly higher than in male athletes. Acute exercise did not affect AM concentration in subjects. We did not find any relationship between AM/BMI (Body mass index) and other variables such as systolic, diastolic pressure, heart rate, VO2max and VCO2 but there was a negative relationship with NO production. Conclusion: The present data suggest that an increase in AM during prolonged physical activity may be a compensatory mechanism against further elevation of blood pressure.