The Effect of a Period of Selected Training (Aerobic and Resistance) on Some Cytokines in Male and Female Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

With regard to the positive effects of training in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) and gender differences in the prevalence and pattern of multiple sclerosis, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of eight weeks of selected training on some cytokines (TNF, IFN, IL-10, hs-CRP) in male and female MS patients. For this purpose, 35 male and female patients with MS (EDSS<4) volunteered to participate in this study. The sample included 29 subjects (9 females with mean+SD age 34.35.9 years, height 160.45.8 cm, weight 65.28.8 kg and 8 males with age 32.76.01 years, height 176.39 cm, weight 70.87.6 kg in training group and 7 females with age 344.6 years, height 166.413 cm, weight 68.42.6 kg and 5 males with age 26.23.1 years, height 169.49.7 cm, weight 65.213 kg in control group completed the study. Selective training program consisted of eight weeks of aerobic, resistance and stretching training performed three days a week inconsecutively. Measured variables were IL-10, IFN, TNF, hs-CRP, 6 min. walking test and 1RM test. Data were analyzed by SPSS 16 and descriptive statistics, co-variance analysis, multivariate ANOVA, Tukey's post hoc test at P0.05. The results showed that IL-10 in males and females of the training group decreased significantly (P=0.02). IFN decreased in both control and training groups in both males and females but there was no significant difference between groups (P=0.1). TNF significantly decreased in females after training (P=0.04) but there was no significant difference in males. CRP changes were not significant in both control and training groups for males and females (P=0.09). The results showed that the selected training improved disability in MS patients and produced more apparent cytokine variations in females than males.