Regular physical activity reduces the proinflammatory response in older women with diabetes and hypertension in the postmenopausal phase

Abstract

Aging in women is characterized by extreme hormonal changes leading them to develop a chronic low-grade inflammation that is linked to the development of systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this scenario, physical activity emerges as an interesting methodology, since it seems to be connected to a decrease in serum levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines. Nevertheless, most studies evaluate these cytokines in an isolated manner not considering the influence of comorbidities on the responsiveness of participants to the benefits of physical activity. So, this study aimed to assess the influence of physical activity on body composition, anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, and inflammatory markers of diabetic and hypertensive older postmenopausal women. We evaluated 163 women aged from 60 to 80 years, diagnosed with T2DM and SAH that were assisted by the Family Health Units in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil. The pratice of physical activity was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire with the participants being classified as active or sedentary individuals. Active older women presented better body composition, lipid profile and inflammatory balance. This was connected to a better correlation profile between these factors in active older women, characteristics that were not noticed in sedentary older women. Moreover, IL-17A and the relationship between IL-10 and the other pro-inflammatory cytokines examined was greatly influenced by physical activity. Consequently, physical activity is linked to a global improvement in T2DM and SAH risk factors and with a positive inflammatory modulation in diabetic and hypertensive older women.

Keywords: Inflammaging; Older women; Physical activity; Postmenopause; Systemic arterial hypertension; Type 2 diabetes mellitus.