Table 3.
Leukocyte and lymphocyte responses to exercise with or without adrenergic receptor blockade
| Pre-Ex | Post-Ex | Time effect F(p value) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBC (×103/μL)a | Placebo | 5.6 (1.3) | 9.0 (2.4)* | 3.059 (0.006) |
| n = 12 | Bisoprolol | 5.5 (0.8) | 9.8 (2.2)* | 3.061 (0.006) |
| Nadolol | 5.8 (1.6) | 8.0 (2.1)* | 3.059 (0.006) | |
| Lymphocytes (×103/μL) | Placebo | 2.2 (0.4) | 3.3 (0.5)* | − 7.970 (< 0.001) |
| n = 12 | Bisoprolol | 2.1 (0.4) | 3.5 (0.3)* | − 8.602 (< 0.001) |
| Nadolol | 2.0 (0.4) | 2.8 (0.8)* | − 4.736 (0.001) | |
| NK cells (cells/μL) | Placebo | 199 (93) | 727 (173)* | − 11.288 (< 0.001) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 235 (101) | 912 (290)* | − 6.982 (< 0.001) |
| Nadolol | 187 (85) | 484 (163)* | − 6.475 (< 0.001) | |
| CD3 T cells (×103/μL) | Placebo | 1.6 (0.4) | 2.1 (0.5)* | − 3.741 (0.009) |
| n = 12 | Bisoprolol | 1.6 (0.4) | 2.2 (0.3)* | − 5.809 (< 0.001) |
| Nadolol | 1.5 (0.4) | 2.0 (0.6)* | − 3.382 (0.018) | |
| CD4+ T cells (cells/μL) | Placebo | 854 (339) | 904 (316) | − 0.725 (0.999) |
| n = 12 | Bisoprolol | 790 (288) | 910 (347) | − 2.089 (0.183) |
| Nadolol | 790 (329) | 968 (489) | − 1.954 (0.231) | |
| Naïve (cells/μL) | Placebo | 400 (234) | 366 (190) | 0.484 (0.999) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 364 (151) | 324 (115) | 1.313 (0.666) |
| Nadolol | 388 (280) | 442 (346) | − 1.013 (0.999) | |
| CM (cells/μL) | Placebo | 252 (46) | 302 (69) | − 2.675 (0.075) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 219 (57) | 271 (77)* | − 3.186 (0.033) |
| Nadolol | 235 (66) | 329 (96) | − 2.932 (0.051) | |
| EM (cells/μL)a | Placebo | 120 (101) | 146 (100) | 1.478 (0.417) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 137 (81) | 164 (107) | 2.293 (0.066) |
| Nadolol | 110 (47) | 155 (90) | 1.682 (0.279) | |
| EMRA (cells/μL) | Placebo | 15 (11) | 26 (31) | − 0.340 (0.999) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 15 (12) | 24 (23) | − 1.187 (0.798) |
| Nadolol | 15 (13) | 13 (14) | 1.403 (0.582) | |
| CD8+ T cells (cells/μL) | Placebo | 532 (210) | 773 (300)* | − 4.542 (0.003) |
| Bisoprolol | 531 (180) | 815 (325)* | − 5.988 (< 0.001) | |
| Nadolol | 463 (180) | 628 (254)* | − 4.964 (< 0.001) | |
| Naïve (cells/μL) | Placebo | 280 (170) | 318 (169) | − 1.366 (0.615) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 268 (155) | 296 (152) | − 1.747 (0.345) |
| Nadolol | 240 (145) | 308 (204) | − 1.895 (0.273) | |
| CM (cells/μL) | Placebo | 37 (11) | 70 (36)* | − 3.608 (0.018) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 37 (10) | 78 (34)* | − 4.939 (0.003) |
| Nadolol | 33 (13) | 64 (31)* | − 4.638 (0.003) | |
| EM (cells/μL) | Placebo | 94 (37) | 162 (80)* | − 3.568 (0.018) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 104 (40) | 188 (48)* | − 7.212 (< 0.001) |
| Nadolol | 89 (39) | 139 (56)* | − 4.386 (0.006) | |
| EMRA (cells/μL) | Placebo | 86 (58) | 213 (166)* | − 3.268 (0.030) |
| n = 10 | Bisoprolol | 103 (65) | 212 (172) | − 2.572 (0.090) |
| Nadolol | 78 (47) | 107 (73) | − 1.986 (0.234) |
The effects of an acute bout of exercise on the total number (per μL of whole blood) of white blood cells, lymphocytes, and lymphocyte subsets in healthy participants after ingesting a placebo, a β1 AR antagonist (bisoprolol, 10 mg), or a β1 + 2 AR antagonist (nadolol, 80 mg) 3 h prior to exercise. Blood was collected prior to medication ingestion and immediately following 30 min of steady-state cycling exercise. WBC and lymphocyte counts were quantified using an automated hematology analyzer, and the lymphocyte subset proportions identified by flow cytometry were used to quantify lymphocyte subset numbers. WBC = white blood cell; naïve = CD45RA+/CD62L+; CM = central memory, CD45RA−/CD62L+; EM = effector memory, CD45RA−/CD62L−; EMRA = CD45RA+ effector memory, CD45RA+/CD62L−. Data are expressed as mean (SD) for normally distributed data and median (IQR) for non-normal data on which non-parametric tests were performed. Bold values indicate a Bonferroni-corrected significant difference (p < 0.05) between pre- and post-exercise within a trial
aNon-parametric tests were performed and data are presented as median (IQR)
*Significantly different from pre-exercise (p < 0.05)