Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Patients with Chronic Non-Cirrhotic Active Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)
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- Category: Vol. 77, December 2009
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Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Patients with Chronic Non-Cirrhotic Active Hepatitis C Virus (HCV),SAMY NASIF, FAWZY AHMAD HALAWA, AHMED FOUAD, HANAN ABDEL HAFEZ, ABDELKARIM GAMAL ELDEIN KAMEL and SOHEIR REZK ALLAH
Abstract
Background and Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen causing mild to severe liver disease world-wide. This positive strand RNA virus is remarkably efficient at establishing chronic infections. Examination of T cell responses revealed a marked suppression of specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and a depressed production of interleukin2 (IL-2) and interferon gamma (IFNg). It was indicated that moderate exercise enhances a T helper1 (TH1)- type cytokine response, which could boost protection against viral infection, promotes defense against infection; also it increases the production of some of the interferones, a group of naturally occurring proteins with antiviral properties. So we aimed in this study to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on the level of circulating (TH1) cytokines (IL-2 and IFNg), and liver enzymes in patients with chronic non-cirrhotic active HCV.
Patients and Methods: In this study 40 patients with chronic HCV were randomly assigned into two groups, exper-imental group (Group I), who received aerobic exercise for two months, two sessions a week, 30 minutes for each session, control group (Group II), who didn’t receive exercise. Their mean age was (40±5 years). Blood samples were collected and serum level of IL-2 and IFNg were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) test, also serum levels of ALT and AST were routinely made before and after exercise program for two months. Real time abdominal ultra-sonography was done for all patients.
Results: There was a statistical significant increase in serum levels of IL-2 (before= 12.26±0.746pg/L & after= 15.099±1.768 pg/L) as well as IFNg (before= 12.721±3.238 pg/L & after= 16.223±5.446 pg/L). Also we found a statistical significant decrease in ALT and AST between before exercise (ALT= 62.4±11.03 u/L & AST= 48.5±10.88u/L), and after exercise (ALT= 35±5.82 u/L & AST= 25.05±35 u/L), in group I while there was no statistical significant difference in serum levels of IL-2 and IFNg, and a statistical increase in the levels of ALT and AST between before and after two months without exercise in group II.
Conclusion: Aerobic exercise of moderate intensity in-creased serum level of TH1 cytokines (IL-2 and IFNg), which means enhancement of the immune system and resistance to infection, it led also to decrease serum levels of liver enzymes (AST and ALT), which means protection of hepatic cells and restoration of its function.