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Biomedical subjects

A C Hackney

Publications and source records attributed to A C Hackney.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Basal reproductive hormonal profiles are altered in endurance trained men.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose was to examine the basal reproductive hormonal profiles in age-matched groups of endurance trained (ET) and sedentary (SED) men under controlled conditions. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Resting basal blood samples were obtained from groups of ET and SED men after a 24-hr control period. Blood specimens were analyzed for testosterone (T), free-testosterone (fT), sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), cortisol, and prolactin. The design of the study was retrospective and cross-sectional in nature. SETTING: Laboratory setting at the University of North Carolina, North Carolina USA. PARTICIPANTS: ET men (n = 53) who had been involved with chronic endurance exercise training for > or = 5 years. SED men (n = 35) were selected of comparable ages and the fact that they had done no formal exercise training. RESULTS: Results indicated that the basal T and fT of the ET men were significantly (p < 0.01) lower than that of the SED men. The levels of these hormones in the ET men where in the normal clinical range, but represented only 55% to 85% of those seen in the SED men. For SHBG, LH, cortisol, and prolactin, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were found between the ET and SED men. CONCLUSIONS: ET men have lowered basal T and fT levels and this suppression may be related to an alteration in the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular regulatory axis since the LH of the ET was not elevated. Whether these hormonal changes have any significant beneficial (i.e., protective cardiovascular) or negative (i.e., decrease anabolic-androgenic processes) physiologic consequences remains to be determined.

Adult↗

Effects of hydroxyurea administration on the body weight, body composition and exercise performance of patients with sickle-cell anaemia.

1. As an ancillary study carried out during the recently completed Multicenter Study of Hydroxyurea, we examined the effect of hydroxyurea on the body weight, body composition and exercise capacity of adult patients with sickle-cell anaemia. 2. The subjects received either hydroxyurea (six males and four females) or placebo (eight males and six females). Data for each subject were generated during four separate 24 h admissions to the General Clinical Research Center. These admissions occurred at baseline and then at 6, 12 and 18 months after the start of study drug (hydroxyurea or placebo) administration. During each admission, body composition was measured by using a dual X-ray absorptiometer, and exercise testing was performed by cycle ergometry. Anaerobic performance was assessed according to a 'Wingate' protocol (20 s at maximal intensity against a cycling resistance of 7.5% body weight). Aerobic performance was examined using a steady state submaximal exercise protocol (10 min cycling time). 3. At baseline, no significant difference in any parameter was found between the hydroxyurea- and placebo-treated groups. At 18 months, the hydroxyurea-treated subjects exhibited an average weight gain of 3.16 kg. The mean weight gain in the placebo-treated subjects was 1.82 kg. Body composition analysis showed that the additional weight in both groups involved both lean and fat body mass components. In anaerobic performance, the subjects given hydroxyurea showed an increase in peak muscle power of 104.9 W. The placebo group also showed an increase, but theirs was a more modest gain of 57.7 W. The most marked improvement in anaerobic performance was observed in the hydroxyurea-treated men (P < 0.05). In aerobic performance, the hydroxyurea-treated subjects exhibited a decrease in peak heart rate response to a standardized workload of 15.2 beats/min, as compared with a decrease of only 4.3 beats/min in the placebo-treated patients. 4. Taken together, the overall weight gain, combined with increases in both anaerobic muscular performance and aerobic cardiovascular efficiency, provides objective data to support the subjective impression that hydroxyurea administration produces an improvement in the physical capacity of patients with sickle-cell anaemia.

Adult↗

Reproductive hormonal responses to maximal exercise in endurance-trained men with low resting testosterone levels.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the changes from rest and in response to a maximal exercise bout for select reproductive hormones between age matched groups of endurance trained (ET; distance runners) men with low resting testosterone and untrained (UT) men. Both ET and UT men completed two evaluation sessions: (a) resting hormonal profiling, and (b) a maximal treadmill exercise test to exhaustion. Serial blood samples were taken for four hours at each of the evaluation sessions. Resting and exercise hormonal concentrations were plotted and the area under the response curve (AUC) measured. Percentage change in AUC values were also calculated and compared (exercise vs. resting AUC values). Resting testosterone (16.6 +/- 2.4 vs. 23.9 +/- 3.1 nmol x 1(-1)) and prolactin (3.3 +/- 1.4 vs. 6.0 +/- 2.0 micrograms x 1(-1)) concentrations in the ET men were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than those in the UT men. All other resting hormonal levels did not differ between the groups (p > 0.05). Exercise produced a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the ET men for testosterone, LH, and prolactin AUC values, when compared to resting values. In the UT men the only significant change was a reduction (p < 0.05) in the exercise LH AUC versus the resting AUC value. AUC percentage change values showed between-group differences (p < 0.05) for testosterone, LH and prolactin. The level of change in each of these hormones was found to be greater in the ET than UT group (approximately 20 to 75%). The hormonal changes of the UT men were viewed as "control--reference" responses within a functioning hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular regulatory axis; therefore, it was concluded that the ET men displayed an "atypical" response to exercise to that of UT men relative to this axis.

Adult↗

Effects of hypobaric-hypoxia on the salivary cortisol levels of aircraft pilots.

INTRODUCTION: There has been limited characterization of the endocrine stress reactivity of aircraft pilots under the adverse environmental condition of hypobaric-hypoxia. This seems especially true with respect to using the non-invasive technique of salivary hormonal analysis. Thus, the purpose of this study was to characterize the salivary cortisol response to such an environmental stress. METHODS: Some 53 pilots were exposed to 30 min of hypobaric-hypoxia (final pressure, 540 hPa). The salivary cortisol levels were measured at baseline (0 min), at 15 and 30 min into exposure (+15 and +30 min) and 30 min after the exposure ended (+60 min). The cortisol response of each pilot was classified according to the difference between the +30 min and 0 min values. Responder categories were: increase (I), decrease (D) or no change (N). RESULTS: Subjects were not evenly distributed among the three response categories (p < 0.05). The distributions were as follows; D = 5 pilots (9.4%), N = 17 pilots (32.1%), and I = 31 pilots (58.5%). Further, significant (p < 0.05) changes in cortisol levels were noted over the sampling times for the D (+15 min to +60 min < 0 min) and 1 (+15 min to +60 min > 0 min) responders, as well as between the D, N, and I responders at the +15 to +60 min sampling times. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that no single consistent change in salivary cortisol level occurred among the different subjects in response to the level and duration of hypobaric-hypoxia studied.

Adult↗

Effect of acceleration stress on salivary cortisol and plasma cortisol and testosterone levels in cadet pilots.

The effects of acceleration (Gz) on changes in the levels of cortisol in saliva and of cortisol and testosterone in serum have been studied in 48 cadet pilots exposed to a linear acceleration gradient (0.2 G/s) until a loss of coordination when the mean G value was found to be 5.94 +/- 0.57. Three patterns of salivary cortisol responses were discerned based on Gz-induced significant changes: increase (I; n = 20), decrease (D; n = 8), the magnitude of changes being dependent on the pre-Gz values. Fifteen min after the Gz load, the mean salivary cortisol was significantly higher from the pre-Gz value in all subjects combined. In 19 subjects, who consented to blood sampling, significant increases in serum cortisol were observed both 3 and 15 min post-Gz (by 37 and 57% respectively) while, a significant increase in serum testosterone concentration has been observed only 3 min post-Gz. Testosterone levels 3 min post-Gz were significantly correlated with the final Gz values (r = 0.54; p < 0.05). A significant correlation was also observed between all salivary and serum cortisol values combined (r = 0.696; p < 0.001). It has been concluded that acceleration stress, although of very short duration, proved very potent in eliciting glucocorticoid and androgen responses.

Acceleration↗

A phase I/II study of polymerized bovine hemoglobin in adult patients with sickle cell disease not in crisis at the time of study.

BACKGROUND: The painful episodes of sickle cell disease (SCD) involve vaso-occlusion and impaired oxygen delivery. HBOC-201, a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier, has been shown to support oxygen delivery in animal studies and to be safe and well tolerated in normal human volunteers. Therefore, we speculated that it might have a therapeutic role in SCD. METHODS: Eighteen adults with SCD who were asymptomatic at the time of study were enrolled in a Phase I/II single-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study of HBOC-201. The primary purpose was to assess the safety of the material in this patient population. In addition, as a surrogate marker of efficacy, each subject underwent a variety of exercise tests before and after HBOC-201 was given. RESULTS: All HBOC-201 infusions were well tolerated by the study subjects and no evidence of toxicity was noted. In addition, there was a significant difference in heart rate response to the identical aerobic exercise workload when the study subjects who received HBOC-201 were compared to the subjects who received placebo (p = 0.0061). CONCLUSIONS: HBOC-201 was safely administered to patients with SCD who were not in crisis at the time of study. Furthermore, following infusion of the study material, subjects with SCD performed the identical aerobic exercise-induced workload with an increase in heart rate that was significantly less than the increase observed in the subjects who received an infusion of the saline placebo. These safety and surrogate efficacy data support the notion that HBOC-201 could have efficacy as a treatment for the vasoocclusive episodes of SCD.

Adult↗

Substrate oxidation at rest and during exercise: effects of menstrual cycle phase and diet composition.

The estrogen hormones have been shown to be highly glycogenic as well as lipolytic in nature. It is unknown whether the metabolic actions of estrogens impact upon energy metabolism during exercise. The composition of prior diet, however, does affect exercise energy metabolism. This study examined the influence of menstrual cycle phase (mid-follicular [FP; low estrogen] vs. mid-luteal [LP; high estrogen]) and diet composition on the rate of substrate oxidation for carbohydrate (CHO) and lipid at rest and during various intensities of physical exercise. Nine subjects completed an experimental session under four different menstrual cycle-diet conditions: 1) FP following a 3-day high CHO diet [75% total caloric intake], 2) FP following a 3-day low CHO diet [35% total caloric intake], 3) LP following a 3-day high CHO diet, and 4) LP following a 3-day low CHO diet. In each of the experimental sessions substrate oxidation was determined at rest and during cycle ergometer exercise at intensities of 30, 50, and 70% VO2max, respectively. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) interaction effects on substrate oxidation due to the menstrual cycle phase and diet conditions were found at rest and during 30%-50% exercise. In general, CHO oxidation was lowest and lipid oxidation highest in the LP under a low CHO diet condition.

Adolescent↗

Reproducibility of low resting testosterone concentrations in endurance trained men.

Previous reports indicate endurance trained (ET) men have low resting testosterone concentrations without any significant increases in their luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations. The purpose of this study was to examine the reproducibility of these resting hormonal findings in ET men. Resting blood samples were collected at three separate trials (2 weeks apart) in groups of ET men (n = 15) and age-matched, untrained (UT, n = 13) men. Blood specimens were analyzed for total testosterone, LH, cortisol and prolactin. Results indicated that testosterone was significantly (p < 0.01) lower in ET than UT at each of the three trials. LH, cortisol, and prolactin were not different (p > 0.05) between the groups at any trial. These results confirm earlier findings reported for ET men. Furthermore, the results indicate the resting reproductive hormonal status (i.e., low testosterone) of ET men is reproducible and does not appear to be an artifact of the timing of the blood sampling methodology used.

Adult↗

Metabolic and hormonal responses to low-impact aerobic dance during pregnancy.

This study examined the plasma glucose, free fatty acids (NEFA), lactate, triglyceride, cortisol, and insulin responses of pregnant women (22-28 wk) to a 40-min aerobic dance program and 40-min treadmill walking at similar heart rate intensities. The heart rates during exercise averaged 135 +/- 5 bt.min-1 for both trials. Immediate post-exercise plasma glucose levels were lower than resting levels for both exercise trials (P < 0.05), and remained below resting levels 20 min after exercise. Plasma triglycerides and NEFA were increased immediately post-exercise (P < 0.05), and returned toward rest 20 min after exercise. The NEFA responses at the end of the walking trials were significantly greater than at the end of the aerobic dance trials (P < 0.05). For both trials, immediate post-exercise plasma insulin levels were below resting levels (P < 0.05) and remained attenuated 20 min post-exercise. Plasma cortisol concentrations were unchanged throughout the aerobic dance trial. However, a mean increase of 105 nmol.l-1 immediately post-exercise was evident during the walking trials (P < 0.05). The results suggest that 40 min of walking or aerobic dance reduces blood glucose but does not cause hypoglycemia. Further, the results suggest that 40 min of walking or aerobic dance does not expose the mother to serious metabolic consequences that might adversely affect the fetus.

Adult↗

The male reproductive system and endurance exercise.

During the last decade extensive research on the role of exercise upon the human reproductive system has been conducted. Primarily these investigations have focused on female subjects, but an increasing number of studies have examined male related issues. Evidence now suggests that men who participate in chronic endurance training display mild degrees of reproductive system abnormalities. The major abnormalities noted thus far are reduced resting levels of testosterone, altered pituitary release of luteinizing hormone and prolactin, and altered sperm characteristics. The purpose of this article is to briefly review the research literature on this topic and address select aspects of the impact of exercise upon the male reproductive system. The principal topics addressed in this article are acute and chronic exercise effects, consequences of hormonal changes associated with endurance training, and potential mechanisms for the reproductive system changes detected.

Exercise↗

Nocturnal hormonal responses to resistance exercise.

The effects of resistance exercise on the nocturnal responses of cortisol (CO), testosterone (TEST), human growth hormone (hGH), and thyroid hormones (T3, T4) were examined in eight trained weight lifters. Each subject completed two trials using a counterbalanced design: a control, no exercise trial (CON) and a heavy resistance exercise session of three sets of six exercises to exhaustion (RE). The exercise session took place between 1900 and 2000 hours. Blood was sampled prior to and at 20-min intervals after RE. For both trials blood was sampled at hourly intervals from 2100 hours until 0700 hours. The hGH and CO concentrations were increased up to 40-min post-exercise (P < 0.05), but returned to resting levels 1 h post-exercise. Nocturnal hGH concentration was not affected by RE (P > 0.26) and peaked at 0200 hours and declined until 0700 hours. Similarly, the CO responses were similar between the trails (P > 0.14). This CO concentrations declined from 2200 hours until 0100 hours, then increased steadily until 0700 hours. The TEST concentrations during both trials rose steadily from 2200 hours until 0700 hours; however, the rise in TEST from 0500-0700 hours during RE was greater than during the CON trails (P = 0.059). The T3 concentrations were unchanged by exercise and were similar at all times between trails. The T4 concentrations were elevated for 20 min after RE; however nocturnal T4 concentrations were lower after RE than during CON. These results would suggest that hGH and CO may have limited nocturnal reactivity to resistance exercise. However, the nocturnal alterations of TEST and T4 after resistance exercise, although small, may have implications for muscle anabolism.

Adolescent↗

Effects of music on physiological and affective responses to graded treadmill exercise in trained and untrained runners.

The influence of music on physiological and affective exercise responses was studied in 8 trained and 8 untrained runners under three music conditions ("no", "sedative", and "fast") during low, moderate, and high intensity exercise. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed increased respiratory frequency (FR) during fast music as compared to the no music and sedative music conditions (p < 0.01). Plasma cortisol levels did not differ at baseline across the music conditions; however, following high intensity exercise, higher cortisol levels were associated with fast music as compared to no music and sedative music (music x intensity interaction, p < 0.01). Affective measures during exercise (FEELING scale) showed no overall training group differences; however, there was a music x group x intensity interaction (p < 0.05) in which untrained subjects reported more positive affect compared to trained subjects while listening to fast music during low and high intensity exercise. Data collected at voluntary exhaustion revealed significantly more positive affect and higher skin temperature (p values < 0.01) in untrained compared to trained subjects. Collectively, these results suggest listening to fast, upbeat music during exercise may be beneficial for untrained runners but counterproductive for trained runners.

Adult↗

Maternal and fetal responses to low-impact aerobic dance.

The purpose of this study was to compare the physiologic responses to low-impact aerobics using treadmill walking as a control. Ten pregnant women between 21 and 28 weeks of gestation completed 40 minutes of low-impact aerobic dance. The maternal and fetal responses were then compared to 40 minutes of walking at the same heart rate. The aerobics program consisted of a 10-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of high-intensity exercise, and 10 minutes of decreasing intensity. Heart rates were recorded every 5 minutes, and oxygen uptake (VO2) and fetal response (real-time ultrasound) were obtained every 10 minutes. The maternal heart rates were similar during both trials (overall, 133 +/- 6 beat/min). VO2 values during walking were about 4 mL/kg/min greater than during aerobic dance (p < or = 0.003). Minute ventilation (VE) was also greater during walking (28.7 +/- 6.4 versus 24.1 +/- 3.4 L/min, p < or = 0.001). Respiratory exchange ratios and the ventilatory equivalents for oxygen (VE/VO2) were similar for both trials. Aerobic dance caused greater fetal heart rates than walking (p < or = 0.001), differences being as high as 25 beat/min. The fetal rates had returned toward rest within 5 minutes following exercise. Low-impact aerobic dance, compared with walking at similar heart rates, results in a lower maternal metabolic rate and increases the transient stress on the fetus.

Adult↗

Influence of aerobic versus anaerobic exercise on the relationship between reproductive hormones in men.

This study examined the effects of equal anaerobic and aerobic total work outputs on the relationship between reproductive hormones in men. Nine subjects performed three randomized trials on separate days: (1) 1 h period of rest (control), (2) 1 h continuous aerobic exercise (65% VO2 max), and (3) 1 h intermittent anaerobic exercise (which included 2 min exercise periods at 110% VO2 max). The total work output of the aerobic and anaerobic trials were equated. For the 8 h after each experimental trial, blood samples were collected hourly and analysed for testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin and cortisol. Diet, physical activity and circadian influences were all controlled. Compared with the control, the aerobic and anaerobic trials significantly (P < 0.05) elevated testosterone, prolactin and cortisol; however, these changes were transient and returned to control levels within 1-2 h of recovery. Neither exercise produced significant (P > 0.05) changes from control for LH and FSH. The area under the hormonal response curves (AUC) was calculated for the 8-h recovery period. The testosterone and LH AUC results did not differ (P > 0.05) among the trials (the FSH AUC was not calculated). The prolactin AUC for the aerobic and anaerobic trials were greater (P < 0.01) than the control trial. The cortisol AUC for the anaerobic trial was greater than both the control and aerobic trials (P < 0.05), but the aerobic and control trials did not differ from one another.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Validity of urine-blood hydrational measures to assess total body water changes during mountaineering in the sub-Arctic.

Mountaineering involves high altitude and cold exposure which are each associated with significant levels of dehydration (via altitude-cold diuresis, high energy expenditures, and poor access to water). The purpose of this study was to identify and validate urine and blood indices of dehydration as compared to changes in total body water (which served as the reference standard). Male subjects (n = 10) were studied during a 14 day mountaineering expedition in the sub-Arctic during which they climbed to an altitude of 5245 +/- 229 m (mean +/- SE). Daily activity consisted of approximately 10-15 hours skiing, hiking, and performing mountaineering tasks with heavy loads (> 30 kg). Various measurements were made immediately before ascending (Pre) and after descending (Post) the mountain: body weight (Bw) and composition (%Fat), urine specific gravity (USG), urine protein (UP), plasma electrolytes (K+, Cl-, Na+), plasma proteins (PP), plasma and urinary osmolality (UOsm), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), plasma aldosterone, and total body water (TBW determined via deuterium oxide). Post the expedition significant (p < 0.05) decreases were observed in Bw, and %Fat, while significant increases were found in Na+, K+, USG, UOsm and UP. TBW was slightly reduced, however, changes were non-significant (Pre = 52.9 +/- 1.2 L vs. Post = 52.6 +/- 1.3 L). USG is often used to monitor hydration status in field settings; however, no significant correlations were found between changes in TBW and USG, nor between changes in TBW and other typical urinary indicators of dehydration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗