Effect of combined exercise training on pentraxins and pro- inflammatory cytokines in people with multiple sclerosis as a function of disability status.

Objectives: There is some evidence for beneficial effects of exercise on cytokines in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but it is unclear if such effects differ by disability status (i.e., stage of the disease). This study investigated the effect of combined exercise training on pentraxins and pro- inflammatory cytokines in people with multiple sclerosis as a function of disability status.

Methods: This randomized control trial included 94 women with MS who were randomly assigned into exercise or control conditions with randomization stratified by Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of low (EDSS < 4.5), moderate (4.5 ≤ EDSS ≤ 6), or high (EDSS ≥ 6.5) disability. The exercise program lasted 12 weeks and comprised resistance, endurance, Pilates, balance and stretch exercises performed? days/week; the control condition involved a waitlist control. We measured resting levels of inflammatory factors, functional capacity, and lipid profile before and after the 12-week intervention period.

Results: Combined exercise training significantly decreased hs-CRP (p = 0.029) and IL-6 (p = 0.001) and increased PTX-3 (p = 0.001) and IFN-ƴ (p = 0.001), but there was no significant change in Fibrin D-dimer (FDD) (p = 0.876) compared with control, and those effects were independent of disability status. 1RM for lat pull-down, knee extension, and seated row and 6MWT (i.e., walking further) significantly increased and TUG performance significantly decreased (i.e., faster performance) (all, p < 0.001) after combined exercise compared with control, and this too was independent of disability status.

Conclusions: Exercise may stimulate anti-inflammatory effects in MS, and this is generally not influenced by disability status. Exercise training may be an adjuvant for disease-modifying therapy among people with MS, and such effects might not be moderated by disability status.