RESPONSE OF INFLAMMATORY MARKERS TO EXERCISE IN WOMEN WITH SICKLE CELL ANEMIA:

1843 This study evaluated whether women with sickle cell anemia (SCA) had elevated baseline levels of inflammatory markers, and if these markers were further elevated by 3 consecutive days of treadmill exercise (30 min at about 70% max heart rate), compared to control subjects. All subjects were otherwise healthy black women (10 with SCA and 10 controls). The markers of inflammation were circulating levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Blood was drawn before exercise on each day. Over the 3 days, TNFα was significantly higher in SCA than controls at all times (p=.0003), but there were no significant differences between groups in CRP or IL-6. The response pattern for TNFα was similar for the groups over the 3 days; there was no change from day 1 to day 2 but a significant decrease from day 2 to day 3 (p=.0210). CRP and IL-6 did not change significantly over the 3 days. In conclusion, compared to controls, patients with SCA had higher levels of TNFα, but not CRP or IL-6. Furthermore, 3 consecutive days of exercise did not result in an increase in CRP or IL-6 in either group. Thus, exercise did not exacerbate acute inflammatory status in these SCA women. Supported by NIH HD 35063