Changes in oxidized LDL during a half marathon in athletes with spinal cord injuries

This study investigates how exercise affects the balance of oxidants and antioxidants, as well as oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) levels, in individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Researchers measured adrenaline, markers of oxidant/antioxidant balance (d-ROMs and BAP), and oxLDL levels in athletes with cervical SCI (CSCI) and lower SCI (LSCI) before, immediately after, and 1 hour after a wheelchair half marathon. The study found that exercise did not increase d-ROMs or the d-ROMs/BAP ratio in either CSCI or LSCI subjects, and the lack of increase in plasma oxLDL was not due to the lack of adrenaline response to exercise.

• 1
  OxLDL levels remained stable throughout the study in both LSCI and CSCI subjects, despite adrenaline levels increasing in LSCI athletes after the half marathon.
• 2
  BAP values increased in response to exercise only in LSCI subjects and were significantly higher than in CSCI subjects immediately after the race.
• 3
  Baseline d-ROMs levels were higher than normal in both SCI groups, suggesting increased ROS production in SCI individuals, but did not change significantly with exercise.