Effects of Endurance Exercise Training on Cardiac Dysfunction Induced by Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking

Abstract

<span><strong>Background: </strong><span>There is an increasing popularity of waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) in youth and even in<br /><span>athletes worldwide. Despite the existence of evidence of the harmful effects of hookah smoke on various<br /><span>systems of the body, especially the cardiovascular system, its simultaneous effect with exercise training has<br /><span>not been well studied. We assessed the effects of WTS exposure with/without swimming exercise on blood<br /><span>pressure (BP), and heart histology and mechanical performance in male Wistar rats.<br /><span><strong>Methods: </strong><span>The animals were divided into 4 groups of sedentary control (CTL), waterpipe tobacco smoking (S),<br /><span>mild endurance swimming exercise training (Ex), and waterpipe smoking plus exercise (S + Ex). The<br /><span>duration of WTS and exercise was 8 weeks.<br /><span><strong>Findings: </strong><span>BP and heart rate (HR) did not show a significant difference among the groups. WTS increased the<br /><span>TNF-α level of the heart (P < 0.05 vs. CTL) and cardiac tissue lesions (P < 0.05 vs. CTL), and reduced +dP/dt<br /><span>max, -dp/dt max, and heart contractility indices (P < 0.01, P < 0.01, and P < 0.05, respectively, vs. CTL and<br /><span>Ex groups). It also increased the Tau index (P < 0.05 vs. CTL; P < 0.01 vs. Ex groups) of the left ventricle.<br /><span>However, the combination of exercise and WTS reduced the TNF-α level, improved the heart activity of<br /><span>superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase enzymes, and prevented the negative effects of smoking on heart<br /><span>function and morphology.<br /><span><strong>Conclusion: </strong><span>Mild exercise prevents WTS-induced left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction partly via<br /><span>improvement of antioxidants and attenuation of pro-inflammatory cytokines.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></span></span></span></span>