Daily Exercise and Bone Marrow-Derived CD34⁺/133⁺ Cells After Myocardial Infarction Treated by Bare Metal Stent Implantation

Abstract

Background The aims of the present study were to explore the mobilization of bone marrow-derived CD34⁺/133⁺ cells in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and bare metal stent implantation who participated in daily exercise training, and associations with exercise capacity and restenosis. Methods and Results Participants comprised 23 Japanese men with AMI (Killip 1) who had been treated with a bare metal stent. All patients were advised to walk for 30-60 min/day, at least 4 times per week starting at 11 days after AMI, and were instructed to record the amount of time spent walking each day. At 10 days and then at 3 months after onset of AMI, symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise tests were performed and the number of CD34⁺/133⁺ cells in the peripheral blood were measured by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. At 3 months after AMI, the number of CD34⁺/133⁺ cells and oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold were higher in the high exercise group (ie, exercise duration >4 h/week) than the low exercise group (ie, exercise duration <2 h/week). At 3 months after AMI, the number of CD34⁺/133⁺ cells significantly correlated with oxygen consumption at the anaerobic threshold (p=0.002). Conclusion Moderate daily exercise of >4 h/week increases exercise capacity and the number of circulating CD34⁺/133⁺ cells at 3 months after AMI. (Circ J 2008; 72: 897 - 901)