Author and graduation date: Tracy Ann BEGG, November, 2001

Committee members: Mark Kern (Chair), Anthony Sucec, Martha Shively

Thesis title: The Effect of Exercise on the Blood Lipid Profile of Male and Female Stroke Survivors

Stroke survivors are five times as likely to suffer another stroke as matched controls that haven't suffered a stroke. Many epidemiological studies support the view that exercise decreases the risk of stroke in men and women. The known benefits of exercise include favorably altering the blood lipid profile. There has been no research, to our knowledge, on the effect of exercise on the blood lipid profile of stroke survivors. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of exercise on the blood lipid profile in this population. The hypothesis of the study was that exercise would have a favorable effect on the blood lipid profile of stroke survivors. Seven stroke survivors were recruited (five men, two women) for this longitudinal analysis of blood lipids and lipoproteins which included total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol. HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, apoprotein A-I, and apoprotein B. Additionally, blood pressure, weight, percent body fat (via bioelectrical impedance), strength (grip dynamometer), 3-day food records, and physical activity questionnaires were analyzed. A baseline measurement was taken before beginning the exercise program and then again 3 months and in some cases 6 months after participating in the exercise program. All variables were analyzed using one-way ANOVAs with p < .05 considered statistically significant. Blood lipids and lipoprotein concentrations were not significantly different among the three time points Additionally, there were no significant differences among the time points for blood pressure, weight, body composition. strength, nutritional analysis, and energy expenditure. These results suggest that in this limited study of seven stroke survivors a mild exercise program was not sufficient to elicit a training effect or beneficial alterations in their blood lipid profile.

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