Markers of Inflammation Are Inversely Related to Physical Activity and Fitness in Sedentary Men With Treated Hypertension

Background Physical inactivity is an important risk factor for atherosclerotic disease. We studied the relationship between physical activity and physical fitness and soluble markers of atherosclerotic activity in men with drug-treated hypertension. Methods The participants (n = 177, 40 to 74 years of age), who were randomly recruited from the Hypertension High Risk Management Trial (HYRIM), were overweight and had sedentary lifestyles. The inflammatory markers high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule–1 (sVCAM-1), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (SICAM-1) and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and the hemostatic markers soluble thrombomodulin (sTM), von Willebrand factor (vWf), and tissue plasminogen activator antigen (tPAag) were measured. Physical activity was measured by use of a questionnaire. Time to exhaustion in a bicycle test was used as an expression of physical fitness. Results The hs-CRP showed a significant inverse relationship with physical fitness independent of major cardiovascular risk factors (P = .017) but was not related to physical activity. The sE-selectin was significantly related to physical activity, although only when other factors were taken into account (P = .033), and it had no significant association with physical fitness. In addition there were strong associations between hs-CRP and sICAM-1 and the Framingham Coronary Heart Disease risk score (P< .001). Conclusions The observed inverse relations between physical fitness and hs-CRP and between level of physical activity and sE-selectin in drug-treated, hypertensive sedentary men indicates a beneficial effect of good fitness status as well as activity of low intensity on vessel wall inflammation.