Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 56, Issue 4 906-913, Copyright © 1984 by American Physiological Society
Effect of exercise and oral contraceptive agents on fibrinolytic potential in trained females
I. A. Huisveld, C. Kluft, A. J. Hospers, M. J. Bernink, W. B. Erich and B. N. Bouma
It has been shown that physical exercise increases blood fibrinolytic
potential, primarily by inducing a release of extrinsic plasminogen
activator from the vessel wall. Synthetic estrogens have also been reported
to influence fibrinolytic activity. The effect of exercise and the possible
additional effect of oral contraceptive agents (OCA) on the fibronolytic
system were studied in 20 competitive female rowers. Ten females used OCA
(users), and 10 others did not (nonusers). All participants were subjected
to standardized exhaustive exercise. Preexercise data revealed higher
factor XII, total plasminogen, and free plasminogen levels together with a
significantly lower C1-inactivator level in the group of users. No
differences were observed in prekallikrein, high-molecular-weight
kininogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin, alpha 2-macroglobulin, antithrombin III,
and histidine-rich glycoprotein plasma levels. The factor XII-dependent
fibrinolytic activator activity and the extrinsic (tissue-type) plasminogen
activator were significantly higher; however, the urokinase-like
fibrinolytic activator activity was significantly lower. These observations
suggest a greater susceptibility to activation of the fibrinolytic pathways
during OCA medication. Exercise resulted in a decrease of all factors under
study but an increase in all fibrinolytic activities. No differences were
observed between the two groups in the percentages of change that occurred
with exercise.
