The purpose of this study was to obtain information regarding the influence of long-term exercise training on whole blood fluidity for female patients with cardiovascular disease. Eighteen women served as subjects for this study. Of the 18 women, 10 (63.8±7.8 years) have continuously participated in our supervised aerobic plus strength training program for 5 to 10 years. The passage time of whole blood through artificial capillaries was measured by a novel technique using a microfabricated parallel array of many identical capillary-size channels (width 7μm, depth 4.5μm, length 30μm, and number 8736). Analyses of the data indicated that whole blood passage time (33.8±4.0sec) was significantly less in exercise group compared to the non-exercise group (n=8: 63.3±8.0 years, 44.7±6.8 sec). Furthermore, total cholesterol (TC: 201.0±28.4 mg/dl), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC: 145.8± 24.9 mg/dl, triglycerides (TG: 153.5±66.0 mg/dl), and the ratio of LDLC to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL /HDLC: 2.57±0.46) for the exercise group were significantly better than the non-exercise group (TC: 234.1±34.8 mg/dl, LDLC: 145.8±24.9 mg/dl, TG: 153.5±66.0 mg/dl, LDLC/HDLC: 2.57±0.46). When the subjects of the two groups were pooled, the correlation coefficients between whole blood passage time (41.5±6.0 sec) and the number of leukocyte (5988.9±2091.4/μl), number of platelet (24.9±7.1×10⁴/μl), or LDHC/HDLC (2.54±0.86) were statistically significant (r=0.68, r=0.54, and r=0.47, respectively). These results suggest that long-term exercise training may improve whole blood fluidity in women with cardiovascular disease as evidenced by reduced serum lipid, lipoprotein, and number of leukocyte and platelet activation.

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.23/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE