CLINICAL, INSTRUMENTAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF THE DEGREE OF PHYSICAL RECOVERY IN PATIENTS SUFFERED FROM ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME AT THE COMPLETION OF IN-HOSPITAL REHABILITATION PERIOD

OBJECTIVE

The aim: To determine the clinical, instrumental and biochemical factors associated with the degree of physical recovery in patients suffered from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) at the completion of in-hospital rehabilitation period.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Materials and methods: We enrolled 88 patients (all were males); 77 patients had ACS/STEMI and 11 with ACS/unstable angina. The mean age was (median, interquartile range) was 58 (49-64) years. We analyzed clinical, laboratory (including the circulating proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PSK9) level in blood serum), transthoracic echocardiography and (urgent or delayed) coronary angiography data. Symptom-limited exercise tolerance (ET) test was performed predominantly at the second week of in-hospital stay. According to ET-test results, patients were subdivided into the groups with low (G1; 43 [48,9 %]) and high ET (G2; n=45 [51,1 %]).

RESULTS

Results: G1 (vs. G2) was characterized by older age, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and higher left atrial (LA) dimension. The cases of any left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesion were more frequent in G1 (25 % vs. 2 % in G2, respectively; p=0,004). We revealed a decrease in PSK9 level after ET-test (pre-ET vs. post-ET: 824,0 (371,0-1073,0) vs. 676,0 (441,9-995,9) ng/ml, respectively; p=0,004 [N=35]).

CONCLUSION

Conclusions: At the completion of in-hospital rehabilitation period, the insufficient physical recovery in patients suffered from ACS associated with older age, lower eGFR, higher LA dimension, and more frequent any LDA lesion cases. Physical exercises favored the decrease in PCSK9 levels in blood serum.

Physical activity to reduce PCSK9 levels

The amount of physical activity (PA) people practice everyday has been reducing in the last decades. Sedentary subjects tend to have an impaired lipid plasma profile with a higher risk of atherosclerosis and related cardio- and cerebrovascular events. Regular PA helps in both primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention because of its beneficial effect on the whole metabolism. Several studies reported lower levels of plasma lipids in trained subjects, but the precise mechanisms by which PA modulates lipoproteins remain only partially described. Thereupon, proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a serin protease whose main function is to reduce the amount of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) receptors, with the direct consequence of reducing LDL-C uptake by the liver and increasing its circulating pool. Accordingly, recently developed PCSK9 inhibitors improved cardiovascular prevention and are increasingly used to reach LDL-C goals in patients at high CV risk. Whether PA can modulate the levels of PCSK9 remains partially explored. Recent studies suggest PA as a negative modulator of such a deleterious CV mediator. Yet the level of evidence is limited. The aim of this review is to summarize the recent reports concerning the regulatory role of PA on PCSK9 plasma levels, highlighting the beneficial role of regular exercise on the prevention of atherosclerosis and overall CV health.