Leptin and Liver Enzymes Responses to Aerobic Training in Hepatitis c Patients

Exercise is one of the most vital components of health maintenance. Exercising regularly maintains the cardiovascular system health, promotes the health of liver, and declines the risks of complications induced by CHCV. Since overweight is the main risk factor for IR and type 2 DM which may speed the liver disease progression among HCV patients, exercise is very important for maintenance and loss of weight. Further, exercise can relieve the side effects of medications of HCV, improve immunity, promote a sense of well-being, reduce levels of chronic fatigue, improve blood oxygen levels and increase the endorphins excretion which makes the patients fully energized (Elgendi, Shebl A, Sliem M, and Gary FA, 2018). Studies on exercise effect in patients with CHCV are quite scarce (de Sousa Fernandes et al., 2019). Decreased leptin levels by exercise positively modulate insulin signaling and inhibit pathology progression (Anaruma et al., 2019). Since studies investigated physical activity effect on regulating HCV related leptin levels are very little, the present study aimed to explore the response of serum leptin and liver enzymes to aerobic exercise in nondiabetic overweight men with CHCV.

The study group (n=20) received three sessions of aerobic walking exercise per week for 3 months. Every session was done on an electronic treadmill with no inclination started with 5 minutes warm-up then 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic training with 60-75% of target heart rate then followed or ended by 5 minutes cool down. The control group (n=20) will receive no training.