Cardiac markers (BNP, NT-pro-BNP, Troponin I, Troponin T, in female amateur runners before and up until three days after a marathon

PURPOSE

Transient cardiac ventricular dysfunction or sudden cardiac deaths have been reported for male athletes participating in marathon racing. Less is known about the myocardial response in females. We examined natriuretic peptides and cardiac troponins in female athletes after a marathon.

METHODS

At the 31st real,- Berlin Marathon plasma levels of NT-pro-BNP, BNP, cTnI and cTnT were measured in 15 women (age 35+/-6 years; finishing times between 3:22 h and 5:21 h) at four different time points (before, immediately after, day one and day three).

RESULTS

An increase in [NT-pro-BNP] was observed immediately after the marathon (median [NT-pro-BNP] before: 39.6 pg ml(-1), after: 138.6 pg ml(-1), p=0.003) with a further increase on day one. [BNP] did not increase immediately after the marathon but increased on day one (median [BNP] before: 15 pg ml(-1), day one: 27.35 pg ml(-1), p=0.006). On day three, [NT-pro-BNP] and [BNP] returned to initial values. [cTnI] was under the detection limit prior to the marathon in all runners. [cTnT] was under the detection limit before the marathon except in one runner who presented a concentration of 0.03 ng ml(-1). Cardiac troponins (median [cTnl] after: 0.098 ng ml(-1), p=0.028; median [cTnT] after: 0.032 ng ml(-1), p=0.012) increased immediately after the marathon and returned to initial values on day one [cTnT] and three [cTnI].

DISCUSSION

Parameters representing cardiac stress increased in females after a marathon. Different kinetics of natriuretic peptides BNP and NT-pro-BNP post-marathon could be due to their different half-lives and dependence on renal function. The increase of cTnI and cTnT may result from minor myocardial lesions.

Erythropoietin regulations in humans under different environmental and experimental conditions

In the adult human, the kidney is the main organ for the production and release of erythropoietin (EPO). EPO is stimulating erythropoiesis by increasing the proliferation, differentiation and maturation of the erythroid precursors. In the last decades, enormous efforts were made in the purification, molecular encoding and description of the EPO gene. This led to an incredible increase in the understanding of the EPO-feedback-regulation loop at a molecular level, especially the oxygen-dependent EPO gene expression, a key function in the regulation loop. However, studies in humans at a systemic level are still very scanty. Therefore, it is the purpose of the present review to report on the main recent investigations on EPO production and release in humans under different environmental and experimental conditions, including: (i) studies on EPO circadian, monthly and even annual variations, (ii) studies in connection with short-, medium- and long-term exercise at sea-level which will be followed (iii) by studies performed at moderate and high altitude.

Observation of serum erythropoietin concentrations in female athletes for up to eight days after a marathon run

Erythropoietin (EPO) was studied in 13 female marathon runners before and up to 8 days after a competition marathon run. The median baseline control value was 13.7 U/l. No change in EPO concentration was found immediately (15 min.) and one day after the run. However, a median increase in EPO concentration (18.1 U/l) was found on day three post-exercise (p< 0.05). On day 8 no change was found compared to pre-exercise values. This late increase in EPO concentration would seem to be responsible for the well known increase of red blood cell mass in long distance runners.

Iron-regulatory protein hepcidin is increased in female athletes after a marathon

The propose of this study was to determine the influence of marathon race on hepcidin excretion in female athletes (age 26-45 years). Urine samples were taken before, immediately after, 1 and 3 days after the race. In the average, hepcidin transiently increased at day 1 from 32 to 85 ng/mg creatinine. We propose that the frequently observed iron deficiency of females runners is caused by elevated hepcidin levels.

Indirect evidence of CNS adrenergic pathways activation during spaceflight

BACKGROUND

Microgravity causes cephalad fluid shift and compensatory mechanisms. Hormonal changes suggestive of peripheral sympathetic (catecholaminergic) nervous system activation have been recently found in astronauts during flight. Simulation studies showed increased perivascular sympathetic fiber density in the rat brain.

HYPOTHESIS

Intracranial microcirculatory adaptations might also occur in astronauts, involving an increase in the turnover rate of catecholamines, i.e., norepinephrine (NE) and its precursor, Dopamine (DA). DA is known to inhibit prolactin (PRL) release and to enhance growth hormone (GH) secretion by the pituitary. Therefore, increased brain dopaminergic activity would result into lower circulating PRL concentrations. At the same time, plasma levels of GH and of its effector insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) would increase during flight.

METHODS

Circulating cortisol (CS), PRL, GH and IGF-1 levels were measured 2 d preflight, inflight (4-5 d after launch) and on different days postflight in four astronauts involved in the Spacelab D-2 mission.

RESULTS

No significant changes were found in CS concentrations. PRL decreased while GH and IGF-1 increased inflight (p < 0.05). After flight no statistically relevant hormonal changes were found with respect to preflight.

CONCLUSION

The observed hormonal changes were consistent with the original hypothesis that spaceflight might activate CNS adrenergic pathways. They occurred in the absence of two typical markers of stress, namely CS and PRL increase, thus ruling out any non-specific effect of acute stress on the results. In agreement with the most recent results of real and simulated microgravity studies performed in both the experimental animal and in man, these data lend support to the hypothesis that the CNS adrenergic pathways are also activated in the human during spaceflight.

Synthesis and Base Hydrolysis of the Pentaammine(dimethyl sulfide)cobalt(III) Ion

The synthesis of the trifluoromethanesulfonate salt of the pentaarnmine (dimethy1 sulfide)-cobalt(III) ion, [NH3)5Co-S(CH3)2]3+, is described along with the kinetics of its hydrolysis in basic and acidic solutions. The synthesis proceeds in 44% yield from the reaction of [(NH3)5Co-OSO2CF3] (CF3SO3)2 with CH3SCH3 in tetramethylene sulfone at 80�C. The salt has been characterized by elemental analysis, visible-U.V. spectroscopy, and 1H n.m.r. In basic solution the complex decomposes by Co-S cleavage to yield [(NH3)5CO-OH]2+ and non-coordinated CH3SCH3. The kinetics of this reaction were studied in phosphate buffers ranging from pH 8.50 to 11.67 ( �= 1.0 M); a linear dependence of the reaction rate on [OH-] was observed. At 25�C, kOH = 8.8 � 0.2 dm3 mol-1 s-1. Activation parameters, determined over a temperature range from 15 to 44�C, were ΔH‡ = 152 � 3 kJ mol-1 and Δ S‡ = 286 � 9 J K-1 mol-1. In 0.01 M HClO4 ( � = 1.0 M, 25�C), the cobaltsulfur bond is cleaved at a rate of 1.6×10-6 s-l. Activation parameters, determined over a temperature range from 25 to 60�C, were ΔH‡ = 106 � 5 kJ mol-1 and ΔS‡= -2 � 16 J K-1 mol-1.

Intramolecular Hydrolysis of Coordinated Acetonitrile in a Binuclear Complex of Cobalt(III): X-Ray Crystallographic Analysis of Salts of [(tren)Co(μ-NH2,μ-L)Co(tren)]4+(L=OH, CH3C(O)NH)

A synthesis of [( tren )Co(μ-NH2,μ-OH)Co( tren )]4+(3)( tren = tris (2- aminoethyl )amine) is reported along with a series of derivatives: [( tren ) XCo (μ-NH2) CoX ( tren )]n+, where X = CF3SO3- (n = 3)(4), X = CH3CN (n = 5)(5), and [( tren )Co(μ-NH2,μ-CH3C(O)NH)Co( tren )]4+ (6). The substitution of (4) by CH3CN to yield (5) was studied in CH3CN at 20°C, k = 9.0×10-3 s-1, and the intramolecular hydrolysis of (5) to yield the bridging acetamide complex (6) was studied at various acid concentrations. The X-ray crystal structures were determined for (3b) (exafluorophosphate, dihydrate) and (6b) (dithionate, tetrahydrate ). Both crystals are monoclinic, respectively P21/n with a 11.082(2), b 10.402(2), c 15.611(2)Ǻ, β 99.13(2)°, Z 2, and C2/c with a 14.328(2), b 14.046(1), c 16.497(2)Ǻ, β 101.90(1)°, Z 4. For the salt of (3), 2389 data with 1 ≥ 2σ(I) were refined to R 0.070 ( Rw 0.066), and, for the salt of (6), 3087 data with I ≥ 3σ(I) were refined to R 0.041 ( Rw 0.056). Both ions lie on pseudo-symmetric sites involving disorder of the bridging ligands . The structures establish the binding mode of the acetamido ion and the orientation of the tren groups in the isolated complexes.

Intramolecular Quadridentate Synthesis: X-Ray Crystallographic Analysis of [(NH2CH2CH2NH2)Co(NH2(CH2)2N = C(NH2)CH2S(CH2)2NH2)](CF3SO3)3.H2O

Meridional forms of N3S quadridentate complexes of the type [(en)Co(NH2(CH2)2 N=C(R′)CH2S(CH2)2NH2)]3+ with R′ = CH3 and NH2) are readily prepared from [(en)2Co(S(R)CH2CH2 NH2)]3+ (with R = CH2COCH3 and CH2CN, respectively; en = ethane-1,2-diamine) in basic solution. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex with R1= NH2 was determined as the monohydrate of its triflate salt and shown to have a β-type configuration of the quadridentate. Crystals are monoclinic, space group C2/c with a 23.337(1), b 11.973(1), c 20.015(1) � , β 95.12(1)�, and Z 8. 3183 data with 1 ≥ 3 σ (1) were refined to conventional R factors of 0.056 and 0.072.

Antihypertensive and metabolic effects of diltiazem and nifedipine

The antihypertensive effect of diltiazem (180-270 mg/day) and nifedipine (40-60 mg/day) in slow-release forms was assessed over 8 weeks in a double-blind parallel study in 40 subjects with essential hypertension at rest and during exercise. Blood pressure was comparably reduced in both groups at rest as well as during exercise. The responder rates (greater than or equal to 10% reduction in diastolic blood pressure) after 8 weeks of therapy were 53% at rest and 75% during exercise in the diltiazem group and 78% and 50%, respectively, in the nifedipine group. Diltiazem decreased heart rate by 8% (p less than 0.01), while nifedipine did not affect it. As a consequence, myocardial oxygen consumption, as judged by the pressure-rate product, was reduced by diltiazem. Resting plasma norepinephrine levels were increased significantly after 8 weeks of diltiazem therapy. Plasma epinephrine, renin, aldosterone, glucose, insulin, and lactate and routine laboratory parameters were unchanged at the end of the study. No significant changes in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were observed after 8 weeks. Whereas therapy with diltiazem resulted in an 8% fall in low density lipoprotein cholesterol after 8 weeks (p less than 0.05), nifedipine induced a drop in very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (p less than 0.05) after 8 weeks of therapy. We conclude that both diltiazem and nifedipine are effective antihypertensive agents lacking undesirable metabolic side effect. Diltiazem, however, had the advantage of lowering heart rate and myocardial oxygen consumption.