Effect of a physical activity intervention on suPAR levels: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES

Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is a novel inflammatory marker, associated with lifestyle diseases and mortality risk. No studies have investigated whether physical activity may reduce suPAR levels using a randomized controlled design.

DESIGN AND METHODS

suPAR and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were determined in blood samples from a previous randomized controlled trial with Pakistani immigrants in Norway, 2008. The study included physically inactive men that were randomized to an intervention group (supervised group exercises) or a control group and followed for 5 months. A linear regression model was used and adjusted for age, inactivity level at baseline, and mean difference in CRP levels.

RESULTS

Overall, 80 and 53 participants were included in the intervention and control group, respectively. Obesity and smoking were associated with higher suPAR levels at baseline. The intervention group had a mean suPAR level of 2.65 (95% CI=2.48-2.78)ng/mL at baseline compared to 2.80 (95% CI=2.65-2.95)ng/mL at post-test, and thereby significantly increased suPAR levels after intervention (p=0.02). In the control group, mean suPAR level significantly increased from 2.93 (95% CI=2.68-3.16)ng/mL at baseline to 3.09 (95% CI=2.81-3.38)ng/mL at post-test (p=0.04). When comparing change from baseline to post-test in suPAR levels for the intervention group versus the control group, no significant change in the unadjusted model was found (β=-0.002, 95% CI=-0.219-0.215). Similar results were found for CRP levels.

CONCLUSION

There was no change in suPAR levels after regular exercise compared to a control group implying that suPAR rather reflects underlying harmful inflammatory responses associated with disease development.