Abstract
Background: To evaluate the effect of continuous, moderate-intensity ultraendurance running exercise on skeletal muscle and hepatic damage, as indicated by serum enzyme activity measured immediately following the race. Methods: Thirty-nine runners of the Spartathlon race (a 246-km continuous race from Athens to Sparta, Greece) who managed to complete the race within the 36-h limit participated in this study. Mean finishing time of the study participants was 33.3 ± 0.5 h and their average age, height, and body mass were 41 ± 1 yr, 174 ± 1 cm, and 67.5 ± 1.1 kg, respectively. Blood samples, taken a day before and immediately after completion of the race, were assayed for the following variables: creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT). Results: A dramatic increase in most of muscle and liver damage indicators was observed. The mean values for CK, LDH, AST, and ALT after the race were 43,763 ± 6,764, 2,300 ± 285, 1,182 ± 165, and 264 ± 37 IU·L-1, respectively. These values were 29,384 ± 4,327, 585 ± 89, 5,615 ± 902, and 1,606 ± 331% higher than the corresponding values before the race (P < 0.001) for CK, LDH, AST, and ALT, respectively. However, there was not a significant increase in γ-GT levels. Conclusion: Muscle and liver damage indicators were elevated at the highest level ever reported as a result of prolonged exercise, although no severe symptoms that required hospitalization were observed in any of the participants. The data suggest that even moderate-intensity exercise of prolonged duration can induce asymptomatic exertional rhabdomyolysis.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1054-1057 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Medicine and science in sports and exercise |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 1 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Creatine kinase
- Lactate dehydrogenase
- Spartathlon
- Ultraendurance exercise
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
- Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation
Cite this
Exertional rhabdomyolysis during a 246-km continuous running race. / Skenderi, Katerina P.; Kavouras, Stavros A.; Anastasiou, Costas A.; Yiannakouris, Nikos; Matalas, Antonia Leda.
In: Medicine and science in sports and exercise, Vol. 38, No. 6, 01.06.2006, p. 1054-1057.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Exertional rhabdomyolysis during a 246-km continuous running race
AU - Skenderi, Katerina P.
AU - Kavouras, Stavros A.
AU - Anastasiou, Costas A.
AU - Yiannakouris, Nikos
AU - Matalas, Antonia Leda
PY - 2006/6/1
Y1 - 2006/6/1
N2 - Background: To evaluate the effect of continuous, moderate-intensity ultraendurance running exercise on skeletal muscle and hepatic damage, as indicated by serum enzyme activity measured immediately following the race. Methods: Thirty-nine runners of the Spartathlon race (a 246-km continuous race from Athens to Sparta, Greece) who managed to complete the race within the 36-h limit participated in this study. Mean finishing time of the study participants was 33.3 ± 0.5 h and their average age, height, and body mass were 41 ± 1 yr, 174 ± 1 cm, and 67.5 ± 1.1 kg, respectively. Blood samples, taken a day before and immediately after completion of the race, were assayed for the following variables: creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT). Results: A dramatic increase in most of muscle and liver damage indicators was observed. The mean values for CK, LDH, AST, and ALT after the race were 43,763 ± 6,764, 2,300 ± 285, 1,182 ± 165, and 264 ± 37 IU·L-1, respectively. These values were 29,384 ± 4,327, 585 ± 89, 5,615 ± 902, and 1,606 ± 331% higher than the corresponding values before the race (P < 0.001) for CK, LDH, AST, and ALT, respectively. However, there was not a significant increase in γ-GT levels. Conclusion: Muscle and liver damage indicators were elevated at the highest level ever reported as a result of prolonged exercise, although no severe symptoms that required hospitalization were observed in any of the participants. The data suggest that even moderate-intensity exercise of prolonged duration can induce asymptomatic exertional rhabdomyolysis.
AB - Background: To evaluate the effect of continuous, moderate-intensity ultraendurance running exercise on skeletal muscle and hepatic damage, as indicated by serum enzyme activity measured immediately following the race. Methods: Thirty-nine runners of the Spartathlon race (a 246-km continuous race from Athens to Sparta, Greece) who managed to complete the race within the 36-h limit participated in this study. Mean finishing time of the study participants was 33.3 ± 0.5 h and their average age, height, and body mass were 41 ± 1 yr, 174 ± 1 cm, and 67.5 ± 1.1 kg, respectively. Blood samples, taken a day before and immediately after completion of the race, were assayed for the following variables: creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT). Results: A dramatic increase in most of muscle and liver damage indicators was observed. The mean values for CK, LDH, AST, and ALT after the race were 43,763 ± 6,764, 2,300 ± 285, 1,182 ± 165, and 264 ± 37 IU·L-1, respectively. These values were 29,384 ± 4,327, 585 ± 89, 5,615 ± 902, and 1,606 ± 331% higher than the corresponding values before the race (P < 0.001) for CK, LDH, AST, and ALT, respectively. However, there was not a significant increase in γ-GT levels. Conclusion: Muscle and liver damage indicators were elevated at the highest level ever reported as a result of prolonged exercise, although no severe symptoms that required hospitalization were observed in any of the participants. The data suggest that even moderate-intensity exercise of prolonged duration can induce asymptomatic exertional rhabdomyolysis.
KW - Creatine kinase
KW - Lactate dehydrogenase
KW - Spartathlon
KW - Ultraendurance exercise
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33745167295&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33745167295&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1249/01.mss.0000222831.35897.5f
DO - 10.1249/01.mss.0000222831.35897.5f
M3 - Article
C2 - 16775544
AN - SCOPUS:33745167295
VL - 38
SP - 1054
EP - 1057
JO - Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
JF - Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
SN - 0195-9131
IS - 6
ER -