Plasma levels of adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in athletes with sickle cell trait with or without α-thalassemia during endurance exercise and recovery

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of endurance exercise on circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in sickle cell trait (SCT) athletes with or without α-thalassemia. Five athletes with SCT, 7 athletes with both SCT and α-thalassemia (SCTAT) and 8 control athletes (CONT) performed an incremental test on cycloergometer followed 72 hours later by a 60-min endurance exercise with a workload set at 70% P_peak (peak power). We assessed levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and TNF-α at rest, immediately after endurance exercise and 1, 2, and 24 hours of recovery. Although, CONT and SCTAT groups exhibited similar basal plasma levels of adhesion molecules and TNF-α, SCT group had higher sVCAM-1 basal concentrations. No significant variation in sVCAM-1, sICAM-1 and TNF-α was measured following endurance exercise. Consequently, sVCAM-1 remained elevated in the SCT group after exercise and during the recovery period. In conclusion, our findings support the concept that SCT athletes might be at risk for microcirculatory disturbances, but these adhesive processes were not further impaired in response to endurance exercise. In addition, α-thalassemia co existing trait may be protective both at rest and after endurance exercise in SCT subjects.