Report

Inflammation-mediating cytokine response to acute handcycling exercise

This study investigated whether the inflammation-mediating potential of handcycling exercise can be enhanced by the addition of concurrent electrical stimulation-evoked lower-limb cycling.

Lead academic:
Professor Vicky Tolfrey
Additional academics:
Tom Paulson
Funder:
The Peter Harrison Foundation

Lower-limb paralysis and immobilisation following a spinal cord injury (SCI) predispose individuals to an elevation in cardiovascular disease risk factors; including chronic inflammation.

Participation in regular exercise can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, in part because exercise may exert a down-regulatory effect on inflammatory pathways driving the development of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis.

Methods 

On two separate occasions, 5 recreationally active, community-based participants with motor complete paraplegia (T5-7) performed 30 min handcycling and hybrid exercise (HYB) at a fixed power output. Venous blood samples were collected at rest, immediately post-exercise, 1 h (post+1) and 2 h post-exercise (post+2). Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10, IL-1ra, adrenaline and cortisol concentrations were determined via enzyme-linked immunoassay. 

Main findings and application

  • Initial findings suggest paralysed skeletal muscle releases the myokine IL-6 in response to electrically evoked contractions. Moderate intensity (60% power output (PO)peak obtained during handcycling only) hybrid exercise was associated with an elevation in plasma concentrations of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10; an effect not present when performing handcycling exercise alone in an untrained cohort.
  • Hybrid exercise may offer a method of maximising the anti-inflammatory potential of acute exercise in individuals with a thoracic SCI responsive to FES-evoked contractions.
  • When performing voluntary upper-limb exercise alone, the absolute exercise intensity (W), as well as the relative exercise intensity (% POpeak), may be important in determining the magnitude of the anti-inflammatory cytokine response

Reference

Paulson, T., Bishop, N., Smith, B. and Goosey-Tolfrey, V. (2014). Inflammation-mediating cytokine response to acute handcycling exercise with/without functional electrical stimulation-evoked lower limb cycling. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. 51(4): 645-654. DOI: 10.1682/JRRD.2013.08.0184