Effects of intermittent exercise on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in night shift workers

- Regular intermittent exercise would decrease the biomarkers of cardiovascular disease.
- After intermittent exercise, the body weight and % fat are significantly decreased.
- After intermittent exercise, the CatL and CatS are significantly decreased.
- MCP-1, sE-selectin and sVCAM-1 are significantly decreased in the NEG relative to the NCG.

ObjectiveCathepsin L (CatL), cathepsin S (CatS), and arteriosclerosis adhesion molecules such as monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) are potent elastases implicated in human arterial wall remodeling. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of intermittent exercise on the plasma concentrations of these cathepsins and arteriosclerosis adhesion molecules in night shift workers.MethodsThirty male participants who were night shift workers (experimental group, n = 15; control group, n = 15) were included in this study. The experimental group performed an intermittent exercise at 10-min bouts (30 min per day), three days a week during 10 weeks. Body composition, blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured.ResultsAfter intermittent exercise, significant group time interactions for body weight (p < .01) and body fat percentage (p < .01) were found. With regard to cardiovascular disease risk factors, group time interactions for CatL (p < .01), CatS (p < .01), MCP-1 (p < .05), sE-selectin (p < .01), and sVCAM-1 (p < .01) were significant.ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence to suggest that intermittent exercise may represent an effective intervention strategy for preventing atherosclerosis, thus leading to improved cardiovascular health in night shift workers.