The Effect of All-Extremity High-Intensity Interval Training on Plasma Pentraxin 3 in Young Overweight and Obese Women

In obese individuals, chronic inflammation is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. This inflammation may be reduced by anti-inflammatory proteins like pentraxin 3 (PTX3). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) mostly with weight bearing might also alleviate this inflammation. This type of exercise may be limited in obese individuals due to their excessive body mass, muscular weakness or joints pain. Whether non-weight bearing HIIT can increase these anti-inflammatory proteins in obese individuals is not clear yet.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of non-weight bearing all-extremity HIIT (all ex. HIIT) on antiinflammatory proteins like PTX3.

In this cross-sectional semi-experimental study, 30 overweight and obese female participants with the mean age of 20.50 ± 1.50 years and the mean weight of 80.70 ± 13.70 kg were randomly assigned to all ex. HIIT and control groups. Training consisted of 4 × 4 min 85% - 90% max HR, and 3 × 3 recovery by 70% max HR with upper and lower body training in a simultaneous manner (four sessions per week for 10 weeks). PTX3, interleukin10 (IL10), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), lipid profile, glycemic profile, heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) were assessed before and after the intervention.

At the end of the intervention, no significant difference was observed in PTX3 (P = 0.47), IL10 (P = 0.67) and TNFα (P = 0.92) levels between the groups. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) decreased by 13.5% in the all ex. HIIT group, while the triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHOL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and glycemic profiles remained unchanged in both groups. HR and systolic and diastolic BP decreased by 12.2%, 2.3% and 6%, respectively, in the all ex. HIIT group, while they remained unchanged in the control group. There was no significant change in PTX3, but as to its correlation with IL10 and HDL a slight change is observed.

All ex. HIIT may be a safe exercise that decreases LDL, HR and systolic and diastolic BP in overweight and obese individuals unable to perform weight-bearing HIIT.