Blood coagulability and fibrinolytic activity before and after physical training during the recovery phase of acute myocardial infarction

The effects of physical training on hemostatic parameters were evaluated in 56 postmyocardial infarction (MI) patients before and after one month of systematic physical training and in 30 control post-MI patients, who did not undergo such training. There were no significant changes in prothrombin time (PT) and alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) at the beginning and end of the study in either group. Levels of fibrinogen, Factor VIII: C (VIII:C) and von Wildebrand antigen (vWf:Ag), and activities of ATIII and plasminogen (Plg) were significantly decreased in the group with physical training (p less than 0.05), while values were unchanged in the control group. Hematocrit, platelet counts, and alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2PI) activities also decreased in the physical training group (p less than 0.05). In contrast, these variables increased in the control group (p less than 0.05). Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) tended to be prolonged in the group with physical training, while it was shortened in the control group. In a subset of 20 patients with physical training, resting levels of plasmin-alpha 2PI complex (PIC), thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), protein-C (P-C:Ag), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), VII:C, and P-C activities had significantly decreased after one month of physical training (p less than 0.05), although tissue plasminogen activator activities remained unchanged. Physical training appeared to suppress coagulability as indicated by the decrease in fibrinogen, VIII:C, vWf:Ag, VII:C, and TAT, and prolongation of aPTT. The decrease in plasminogen, t-PA:Ag, alpha 2PI, PAI-1, and PIC after physical training may result from the decreased coagulability. In conclusion, physical training appears to induce a suppression of the coagulation system in patients in the recovery phase of MI.