TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of Acute Exercise and 12-Week High-Intensity Interval Training on Inflammatory Biomarkers in Stable Coronary Artery Disease
T2 - A Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Kristiansen, Jacobina
AU - Kristensen, Steen Dalby
AU - Hvas, Anne-Mette
AU - Ellingsgaard, Helga
AU - Mohr, Magni
AU - Grove, Erik Lerkevang
AU - Sjúrðarson, Tórur
PY - 2026/2/17
Y1 - 2026/2/17
N2 - BACKGROUND: Persistent low-grade inflammation contributes to coronary artery disease (CAD), but how acute vigorous exercise and structured training affect systemic inflammatory biomarkers in stable CAD remains unclear. We evaluated the acute response to a single vigorous bout and the effects of a 12-week high-intensity interval training program on systemic inflammation in patients with stable CAD.METHODS: In 168 patients with stable CAD, blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and 2 hours after a maximal incremental cycling test. Participants were then randomized to 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training or standard care; 142 completed follow-ups. High-sensitivity CRP (C-reactive protein), leukocytes, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α were measured at baseline, week 6, and week 12.RESULTS: Acute exercise elevated CRP by 7.7% [95% CI, 5.5-10.0] and leukocytes by 50.5% [95% CI, 48.2-52.8]; CRP returned to baseline by 2 hours, whereas leukocytes remained elevated. Interferon-γ increased by 13.1% [95% CI, 9.2-17.3] following exercise but fell below baseline after 2 hours. Tumor necrosis factor-α (12.9% [95% CI, 8.4-17.4]), interleukin-2 (22.8% [95% CI, 17.5-28.5]), and interleukin-6 (42.4% [95% CI, 36.5-48.5]) also increased following acute exercise and stayed elevated after 2 hours, while interleukin-10 decreased by 9.2% [95% CI, -14.1 to -4.0] and returned to baseline after 2 hours. Over 12 weeks, high-intensity interval training did not significantly alter these inflammatory markers compared with standard care.CONCLUSIONS: Acute strenuous exercise induces transient increases in inflammatory markers in stable CAD, which begin to resolve within 2 hours. In this optimally treated cohort, regular high-intensity interval training did not produce a sustained anti-inflammatory effect.REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04268992.
AB - BACKGROUND: Persistent low-grade inflammation contributes to coronary artery disease (CAD), but how acute vigorous exercise and structured training affect systemic inflammatory biomarkers in stable CAD remains unclear. We evaluated the acute response to a single vigorous bout and the effects of a 12-week high-intensity interval training program on systemic inflammation in patients with stable CAD.METHODS: In 168 patients with stable CAD, blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and 2 hours after a maximal incremental cycling test. Participants were then randomized to 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training or standard care; 142 completed follow-ups. High-sensitivity CRP (C-reactive protein), leukocytes, interleukin-2, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α were measured at baseline, week 6, and week 12.RESULTS: Acute exercise elevated CRP by 7.7% [95% CI, 5.5-10.0] and leukocytes by 50.5% [95% CI, 48.2-52.8]; CRP returned to baseline by 2 hours, whereas leukocytes remained elevated. Interferon-γ increased by 13.1% [95% CI, 9.2-17.3] following exercise but fell below baseline after 2 hours. Tumor necrosis factor-α (12.9% [95% CI, 8.4-17.4]), interleukin-2 (22.8% [95% CI, 17.5-28.5]), and interleukin-6 (42.4% [95% CI, 36.5-48.5]) also increased following acute exercise and stayed elevated after 2 hours, while interleukin-10 decreased by 9.2% [95% CI, -14.1 to -4.0] and returned to baseline after 2 hours. Over 12 weeks, high-intensity interval training did not significantly alter these inflammatory markers compared with standard care.CONCLUSIONS: Acute strenuous exercise induces transient increases in inflammatory markers in stable CAD, which begin to resolve within 2 hours. In this optimally treated cohort, regular high-intensity interval training did not produce a sustained anti-inflammatory effect.REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT04268992.
KW - Aged
KW - Biomarkers/blood
KW - C-Reactive Protein/metabolism
KW - Coronary Artery Disease/blood
KW - Exercise Therapy/methods
KW - Exercise/physiology
KW - Female
KW - High-Intensity Interval Training/methods
KW - Humans
KW - Inflammation Mediators/blood
KW - Inflammation/blood
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Time Factors
KW - Treatment Outcome
KW - coronary artery disease
KW - high‐intensity interval training
KW - acute exercise
KW - inflammatory cytokines
KW - inflammation
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105030510013
U2 - 10.1161/JAHA.125.042256
DO - 10.1161/JAHA.125.042256
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 41631762
SN - 2047-9980
VL - 15
SP - e042256
JO - Journal of the American Heart Association
JF - Journal of the American Heart Association
IS - 4
ER -