Paraoxonase activity following exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program.

Purpose: The effect of gender on paraoxonase activity was determined in 37 ischemic heart disease patients who underwent a 12-week aerobic exercise training program.

Methods: Paraoxonase activity was measured by its arylesterase activity (spectrophotometrically, at 250 degrees C, wavelength 270 nm).

Results: A 16.7% increase in paraoxonase activity was found following the 12-week exercise program. In addition, there was a significant gender effect with higher mean paraoxonase levels among women during both preexercise (20.8%) and postexercise (24.2%) testing.

Conclusions: Aerobic exercise training was found to be an effective means in inducing plasma levels elevation of the antioxidative, antiatherogenic paraoxonase in patients with coronary artery disease, and particularly in female patients.