Fifty-four multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were randomly assigned to exercise (EX) or nonexercise (NEX) groups. Before and after 15 weeks of aerobic training, aspects of fitness including maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), isometric strength, body composition, and blood lipids were measured. Daily activities, mood, fatigue, and disease status were measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and neurological examination. Training consisted of 3 x 40-minute sessions per week of combined arm and leg ergometry. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores were unchanged, except for improved bowel and bladder function in the EX group. Compared with baseline, the EX group demonstrated significant increases in VO2max, upper and lower extremity strength, and significant decreases in skinfolds, triglyceride, and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL). For the EX group, POMS depression and anger scores were significantly reduced at weeks 5 and 10, and fatigue was reduced at week 10. The EX group improved significantly on all components of the physical dimension of the SIP and showed significant improvements for social interaction, emotional behavior, home management, total SIP score, and recreation and past times. No changes were observed for EX or NEX groups on the FSS. Exercise training resulted in improved fitness and had a positive impact on factors related to quality of life.

Extended Antarctic residence (AR) is associated with an increase in serum TSH, a decrease in free T(4), and an increase in T(3) production and clearance. It is not clear whether these adaptations reflect changes in clearance alone or whether intrinsic thyroidal synthetic activity also changes. Thyroglobulin (Tg) secretion is an independent marker of intrinsic thyroid activity whose kinetics are independent of those of T(3) and T(4). In this study we examined changes in Tg levels in healthy subjects before and during AR and their responses to thyroid supplementation to help determine whether alterations in thyroid activity, and not just kinetics of clearance, underlie the changes seen with the polar T(3) syndrome. In cohort 1, we compared measurements of TSH and Tg in 12 subjects before deployment and monthly for 11 months during AR. In cohort 2, we compared the same measurements in 12 subjects monthly for 11 months of AR. Subjects were randomized to receive either placebo or levothyroxine in cohort 1 for 7 months and in cohort 2 for 11 months. Tg increased over baseline during the first 4 months of AR by 17.0 +/- 4.6% and after 7 more months by 31.7 +/- 4.3% over baseline in the placebo group of both cohorts (P < 0.0002). When L-T(4) was taken, Tg returned to a value not different from baseline (4.5 +/- 3.9%). The percent changes from baseline in serum TSH and Tg during AR were highly correlated (P < 0.00003) in the placebo group for both cohorts. The rise in Tg with TSH and the reduction in Tg with L-T(4) provide evidence of target tissue response to TSH and further confirm the TSH rise as physiologically significant. The results also suggest that the adaptive changes in thyroid hormone economy with AR reflect TSH-dependent changes in thyroid synthetic activity, which may help explain a portion of the increases in T(3) production found with AR.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract