Association between physical activity and endogenous fibrinolysis in peripheral arterial disease: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether daily physical activity was independently related to endogenous fibrinolysis in subjects with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). One hundred and six subjects with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication were characterized on the activity level of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA, the activator of fibrinolysis), the activity level of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1, the inhibitor of fibrinolysis), daily physical activity, ambulatory function, and demographic information. Subjects were separated into low (n = 36), moderate (n = 34), and high (n = 36) physical activity tertiles based on a 48-hour monitoring period with use of an accelerometer. The tPA activity of the low physical activity group (1.30 +/- 0.16 IU/mL) was 21% and 19% lower (p<0.05) than that of the moderate (1.65 +/- 0.18 IU/mL) and the high (1.61 +/- 0.15 IU/mL) physical activity groups, respectively. The PAI-1 activity of the low physical activity group (21.41 +/- 1.14 AU/mL) was 15% and 23% higher than that of the moderate (18.61 +/- 1.34 AU/mL) and the high (17.47 +/- 1.14 AU/mL) physical activity groups, respectively. Group differences in tPA activity and PAI-1 activity persisted after our controlling for group differences in measured and self-reported ambulatory measures. Daily physical activity is related to a more favorable endogenous fibrinolytic profile in PAD subjects with intermittent claudication. Subjects who expend fewer than 175 kcal/day in physical activities (approximately 35 minutes) are particularly susceptible to having a prothrombotic state. Subjects should be encouraged to participate in at least 35 minutes of physical activity each day to enhance fibrinolysis.