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Leucocytosis as a marker of organ damage induced by chronic strenuous physical exercise

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Abstract

The effects of strenuous physical exercise on the serial changes in the haematological, biochemical and hormonal markers were investigated. A group of 14 soldiers, aged 24–36 years, took part in a military training course for about 13 weeks. After severe exercise stress, an increase (90%) in the number of peripheral blood leucocytes was observed. The degree of leucocytosis showed a close correlation with the values of some serum parameters, such as concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST;r = 0.747), lactate dehydrogenase (LD;r = 0.748), blood urea nitrogen (r = 0.756), creatine kinase (CK;r = 0.637), manganese-superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD;r = 0.508), alanine aminotransferase (ALT;r = 0.542) and uric acid (r = 0.538), and concentrations of urinary parameters, such as vanilmandelic acid (r = 0.429) and free cortisol (r = 0.437). The subjects showing prominent leucocytosis over 9500 cells · μl−1 exhibited a lower concentration of serum cholinesterase than those who showed milder leucocytosis. The serum Mn-SOD concentration was closely correlated with the serial changes in serum concentrations of AST, ALT, LD and CK, indicating exercise-induced muscle and liver damage. The change in peripheral leucocyte number was assumed to be diagnostically informative and may be a prognostic marker, reflecting organ damage and restoration after strenuous physical exercise.

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Kayashima, S., Ohno, H., Fujioka, T. et al. Leucocytosis as a marker of organ damage induced by chronic strenuous physical exercise. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 70, 413–420 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00618492

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