Summary
We have previously reported cross-sectional data on an interaction effect between
physical activity and α-fibrinogen Rsal polymorphism on fibrinogen in postmenopausal women. In the present controlled randomised
study, we investigated the role of the Rsal polymorphism in determining the response of fibrinogen to long-term regular exercise.
Middle-aged men (n = 140), randomly selected from the population registry, were randomised
into an exercise or a reference group for a 3-year low intensity exercise intervention.
Complete data were available in 125 men. The Rsal restriction enzyme detects threonine (Thr) to alanine change in the fibrinogen α
codon 312. Anaerobic ventilatory threshold increased by 4%, but decreased by 2% in
the exercise and reference groups, respectively. Mean fibrinogen did not decrease
in either study group. However, in the exercise group, individual changes in anaerobic
threshold explained 48% of the variance in fibrinogen changes in the Thr homozygotes.
Our data offer a new aspect of beneficial effects of regular physical exercise on
risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Key words
Fibrinogen - DNA polymorphism - physical exercise training - randomised clinical trial
- population based study